One Night at Hooligans
by Glamoured By-Eric
Summary: Just when Eric/Sookie reunite, a legendary supe arrives on the scene to threaten them, area 5 & the two-natured. With an old score to settle, Eric has a revelation for Sookie, sending her reeling & upping her involvement in supernatural affairs.
1. Chapter 1

Eric/Sookie. Takes place after Chapter 1 of "Dead and Gone." **Warning:** Has spoilers from all the Southern Vampires Mystery series books and the Sookie universe short stories as well. Rated M for language and some explicit scenes.

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 1**

It had been overcast and dreary the entire day with storm clouds on the horizon, and the chill had settled in for the evening as I drove home from Merlottes in my Malibu. Patches of wispy fog wove in and around the trees and blacktop, and at times, the fog nearly encompassed the car.

It had been nearly a month since the two-natured had come "out of their skin" to the world. Sam's mother came through the two surgeries and was healing. His step dad was waiting on her hand and foot, feeling guilty as hell about shooting her, and Sam was back at the bar. I was glad to have him back. Not just because running the bar had been a bit hectic, it had, but because I had genuinely missed having my friend around. I was so relieved for him that his mother was okay.

I couldn't believe it was already Friday, the thirteenth of February. I'd been in kind of a funk the entire week because Valentine's Day was coming up, and I'd be spending it alone... again. What was it with me and men anyway? First there was Bill. Enough said on that account. Then there was Quinn. Another betrayal. And Eric.

No, didn't want to think about Eric. That led to remembering our fling a year ago when he'd been staying at my home with no memory of who he was. Since then we'd saved each other's lives, many times, fought, become blood-bonded. We were tied together in so many ways, and I was still torn.

I cared about Eric, and it wasn't solely due to our bond. He'd told me several times that he had feelings as well and that he didn't like having them. He never quite got around to elaborating on those feelings but kept promising that we'd have a talk about the time we'd been lovers, especially since he'd finally remembered the time he'd lost. It had taken the Nevada vampire king's take over of Louisiana and Arkansas and being in my room again to jog his memory.

Eric sent such mixed signals to me. He'd been pursuing me off and on for nearly two years even while I was dating other men. He'd told me that he wanted to have sex with me. He pretty much proposed to me back when he didn't remember who he was. Then he'd forgotten about it as part of being cursed by the witch, Hallow. When he had remembered, and remembered how much he'd enjoyed christening every room in my house, _numerous times_, he'd wanted to come in person to remind me how much I'd liked having sex with him too.

That was before. Before I hadn't heard from him in... months! I know he'd had the new king and his retinue to deal with, but he could have at least picked up the phone to call me. I found myself wanting him to even if I was pissed about the fact that I did want him to call. I missed him.

Okay, so he did send me an invitation in the mail to the annual Dracula night event at Fangtasia, which had taken place this past weekend. After attending last year's fiasco, and ruining yet another dress, I wasn't about to go to this year's celebration. Eric was just too over the top about it for me. It was one of his weaknesses, I had found out. He kept hoping that one day Vlad would actually show up for his own party. Even Pam thought he was single-minded about it.

I was nearly to the turnoff to Hummingbird Road and caught myself yawning as I went around the curve into a thick patch of fog that was particularly dense. I couldn't see a thing.

"What the...?" I said out loud as my headlights exposed a large animal limping across the road ahead of me. When it saw my lights, it froze.

I slammed on the brakes and swerved to the right to avoid hitting the deer. I lost control but kept my foot on the brake trying to get it back. I swear a tree sprang right up out of the ground through the fog and ran straight into my car. Really!

It didn't hit me too hard mind you, as I had almost got the car back under control and had slowed down, but hard enough to give me a good jarring. I opened my eyes and looked up not seeing quite clearly at first. When I did, I tried to turn my glanced back at the road and saw the deer staring at me.

"Sookie!" exclaimed Claudine as she appeared out of nowhere and pulled open my car door. "Are you alright?"

I was a little dazed, and my heart was pounding, but I was not harmed. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She helped me out of the car.

I leaned back in and grabbed my keys and purse and walked around to survey the damage. "Great, just f'ing great! Now what am I going to do?" Then I burst into tears.

Claudine put her arm around me. "Oh, don't worry, cousin. I'm sure it can be repaired. Come on. I'll get you home." She shivered and looked around nervously at the road, took hold of my arm, and the next thing I knew, we were in front of my house.

I was startled with the suddenness of it. She laughed when she saw my face, and we went into the house together.

My roommates Amelia and Octavia were in the kitchen fixing dinner. I must have looked a mess because they immediately came over.

"Oh my God! Sookie, what happened?" asked Amelia with concern all over her face.

"Tree hit my car. There was a... a deer," I said between sobs. They pulled out a chair, and I sat down. Octavia brought me a glass of water which I took and drank greedily.

"She's a little shaken up but unharmed. I think a hot meal and hot shower, and she'll be right as rain," said Claudine. "I'll leave her in your capable hands. I am going to have to run though. I have to get back to Monroe. It is ladies night at Hooligans. We've having a special event tonight 'A Valentine Vampire Revue.' All the dancers are portraying famous vampires. Did you get my invitation, Sookie?"

"Yes, I got it. I wasn't planning to come."

"Oh but you must. You all should come as my guests. I insist."

Amelia said, "Wow, that sounds like a great idea. Is your brother going to perform? He is hot."

"Oh yes, he has quite the routine worked up."

"Be still my heart," said Amelia. "Oh Sookie, we've got to go. I had so much fun the last time I went to Hooligans. You will like it. Just the thing to cheer you up."

"Oh... I don't know, Amelia. I just don't think I could. I mean, you know. They strip." I took another sip of water and closed my eyes.

"Oh Sookie, that is the entire point. Loud music, drinks, watching hot guys dance provocatively in the near nude. What's not to like?"

There was a knock on the door just then. I opened my eyes as Tara poked her head in the back door.

"Hey, y'all havin' a party in here? I just came to invite you for a girl's night out and saw Sookie's car down the road. Are you okay, Sookie?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just fine," I said as I stood up, feeling a little out of control. I just had to get out of there. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'll take that shower now." Trying not to forget my manners, I forced a smile on my face and added, "Tara, please help yourself to something to drink from the fridge and stay for dinner." I turned to Claudine, "Thanks, Claudine, for your help."

I was feeling better after my shower and let Tara and Amelia talk me into going to Hooligans. Actually, there was no talking them out of it. I curled my hair and had started applying my make-up when I got an eerie feeling and thought I saw something at my window reflected in my mirror. I got up from my vanity and walked over to the window and looked. Nothing was there. Could have been Bill, I supposed. I pulled down the shade and went back to the vanity.

Tara had brought me a dress from her shop, a blue number that matched my eyes and was the same shade of blue as one of the dresses I had worn in Rhodes. It was cut low in the front, which accentuated my natural bounty. Feeling soft against my skin, the dress came to about my mid-thigh, and fit me like a glove, energizing my ego a bit. Tara was good.

I slid on some black three inch heels and found myself feeling even better now that I was 'gussied up,' as Gran used to say. I added a touch of Obsession in the usual places. I was ready to party and damn the consequences. No more moping for me.

Since she was the emcee of the night, Claudine had already left. She and her twin brother, Claude, owned Hooligans now though she still worked at Dillards in customer service during the day. Her twin brother, Claude, still had hopes of being the next romance cover super model. It was too bad that he didn't have a personality to match his amazing good looks.

After we ate dinner, Tara drove Amelia and I to Monroe. Octavia had decided that she would stay at home and catch up on some reading. I pointedly didn't look at the malibu when we passed it on the road.

Tara and Amelia chatted amicably back and forth on the trip over, and by the time we got to Monroe, I was joining in. As Tara pulled into the parking lot, we were all singing along to Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'N' Roll" which was blaring out of Tara's car stereo.

The parking lot was jam-packed, and women were lined out the door waiting to get in. As we got out of the car, Tara said, "Claudine said we could just go to the front of the line and say 'la fée verte' to the bouncer and that he would let us in without paying the cover charge."

"La fée verte? Seriously?" I laughed. "What does that mean?"

"Beats me."

"So, did either of you ever rent _Bram Stoker's Dracula_?" asked Amelia.

"Of course," I replied. "That's the one Coppola directed with..."

"Exactly. Don't you remember that he introduced her to absinthe in that film?"

"Right, yes. I remember that," said Tara.

"La fée verte means green fairy. Another name for absinthe."

I started laughing, and Amelia joined in. Tara just looked at us oddly because she didn't know that Claudine was a full fairy, pointy ears and all. "What?"

"It's nothing, Tara. Let's go."

Jeff Pucket, the bouncer, looked a little startled when he saw me, having a case of déjà vu. I had interrogated Jeff back when I was still dating Bill. Claudine and Claude's triplet Claudia was killed, and they had hired me to question three suspects in her murder. Jeff was Claude's ex-lover, so I was surprised to see him still working at the club. Maybe they'd reconciled after Claudia's death.

We walked past the others in line, and Tara motioned to Jeff at the door. When he leaned over, she gave him the password. As he let us by him, we got not only outraged looks but some nasty remarks as well from the women behind us in line. Some verbal and some non-verbal.

_Well, just who the hell do they think they are?_

_Bitches! We've been waitin' in line forever!_

Too bad I didn't have one of my bar trays with me. They came in handy at keeping the peace. Or getting revenge.

Inside, Claudine met us cheerfully and led us to a table in front of the stage that had been reserved for us. "This is Max," she said, indicating the buffed server who was passing. "Max, please bring these ladies anything they want. They are my special guests."

Claudine pulled Amelia to the side and began talking in earnest with her and then looking over at me as they talked. They were serious for a bit, saw me watching, then changed their expressions and smiled at me. I wondered what that was about.

In the meantime, Max smiled handsomely at Tara and me and then over at Claudine and Amelia. He bowed his head slightly and said, "It will be my very great pleasure to serve you this evening, ladies." He let his gaze move to my cleavage and gave me a major eye fuck which pretty much killed it for me. I hated it when guys I wasn't dating did that to me. Happened at Merlotte's all the time. Though when it was someone you were dating, it was a lot of fun. But I wasn't dating Max, so it was just plain rude.

'_I'd love to get these three alone and fuck them senseless. Especially the blonde. Fuckin' great tits,_' he thought. Then aloud, he asked, "What can I get for you ladies?"

I closed my eyes, disconnected my mind from his thoughts, reopened my eyes, and then replied, "Margarita."

Tara and Amelia opted for margaritas as well.

"Coming right up,"said Max as he winked at Amelia.

Amelia watched his tush as he walked away from us and started fanning her face with her hand. "Oh my God! He's so gorgeous! I could kiss Claudine."

I rolled my eyes. "My, my. What would Tray say?"

Amelia sat down at our table and replied, "He knows me well enough to trust me. Lighten up, Sookie! We're here to have fun, remember?"

"If only you knew what Max was just thinking. You might not be so enamored of him."

"Do tell," said Tara, leaning forward with her arms on the table.

I pursed my lips and then told them word for word what I'd heard. Their mouths dropped open, and their eyes widened. Tara started giggling.

"Tray would kill him if he'd heard him say that out loud," said Amelia. "Hmmm... I think I'll just mess with Max a bit when he comes back." She smiled wickedly.

"Oh no, Amelia, what are you going to do?" I asked, starting to get a little worried.

She smiled cryptically and replied, "You'll see."

"Just don't use any magic. Remember what happened with Bob."

The DJ was playing "Barracuda" by Heart as Max eased through the crowd with our tray of drinks. When he got to our table, he smiled as he placed bowls of bar snacks on our table. Then placed our drinks down on marketed Hooligans napkins and smiled expectantly.

Amelia smiled up at him a little breathlessly. "So, Max," she began as she ran her fingertip slowly down his bare chest to his belly button. She looked at his crotch longingly and then looked up at him. "How late do you have to work tonight?"

He smiled a bit warily and looked back at her. "T-two. Why?"

"Oh, just wondered. My friends and I will be pretty pumped up after the show. Think you can handle all three of us stud?" she asked in a breathy, sexy voice.

Max's smile faded. He gulped, looking from one of us to the other and then back to Amelia in utter shock. "Uh... uh. I would love to ladies but... but... my girlfriend, she's the jealous type. She would kill me. Excuse me," he said as he hurried away with his tray placed strategically below his navel.

Amelia busted out laughing with Tara and I joining in.

Tara said between snorts of laughter, "Girl, I can't believe you just did that. He ran like his feet were on fire and his ass was catchin'."

"Serves him right for thinking that he could do all three of us. Perv. I am woman. Hear me roar."

"You scared that poor boy to death," I said. "Just leave him alone. Look where we are honey. We're in a strip club. We're about to watch guys get naked and dance in front of us."

"Yes, we are. You are going to love every minute of it, Sookie. I kid you not."

I rolled my eyes, took a sip of my drink, and looked around the room. The club was packed to capacity. I had to clamp down on my block to keep out all the stray thoughts. It wasn't always easy being a telepath.

The music died down, and the lights went out. It got really quiet.

The spotlight came on and Claudine was on the stage in a goth outfit similar to what Pam wore at Fangtasia. There was a mic stand in front of her. She removed the mic and said, "Good evening. Welcome to ladies night at Hooligans. We have a special treat for you tonight. In honor of Valentine's Day, we are doing a bit of a bloody valentine twist by bringing you our first ever all vampire revue. You'll have to determine which are the real vampires and which are merely portraying famous vampires. Or both. You decide. Without further ado, straight from gigs on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Give it up for Spike!

She put the mic back on it's stand, started clapping, and the lights went out again. The ladies started screaming when they heard the motorcycle rev up backstage.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 2**

The lights came on and there was Spike on a motorcycle. At least he looked like him. Spike was one of those characters you loved to hate on both the Buffy and Angel series. Spike happened to be a favorite of mine, so I started hollering as loud as the rest of the ladies.

He drove around the stage a bit, sneering at the audience for effect. Then he parked the bike, turned off the engine as "Cold" by Static-X came on. When he turned to the audience, and started sauntering toward the center of the stage, I saw to my surprise that it was Barry the Barber. He had shorn off his blonde locks and had gone for the platinum blonde slicked back look. He even had Spike's signature black coat swirling about his legs. He smoldered, he gyrated in time to the music, he tore his T-shirt off. He came right up to Tara and leaned down to have her pull off the remnants.

I honest to God thought that Tara was going to pee her pants. She turned beat red, but bless her heart, she reached up and ripped the rest of his shirt off. He gave her a wicked grin and did a pelvis grind movement. Tara had just popped a peanut in her mouth and spat it back out, choking. The peanut hit poor Barry... er... Spike in the stomach. Amelia patted her on the back as Tara coughed. Barry winked and moved down the stage to torment another table.

We called Max over to bring us another round. He did so quickly and nervously as Amelia stared at his crotch again.

By that time, Barry had his pants off and was crawling on the floor in his g-string. Amelia stuffed a couple of bills on him in strategic locations when he got back to our table. Even Tara and I stuffed bills in his string. The clapping in there was deafening when he finished. Even I had to admit it had been a lot of fun. I think Claudia had been a bit nasty when she told him he was inadequate size-wise. From where I was sitting, Barry had nothing to worry about there.

Next up was a dancer I didn't know who dressed up like Prince Vlad from "Bram Stoker's Dracula," complete with top hat and specs. I missed some of his act because I had to visit the ladies room. The line, unfortunately, was long. "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner was pounding through the club, and there was another round of drinks when I got back. Tara had slowed down because she was driving us home later.

I popped a couple of Tylenol because my neck and back were a bit sore from the accident earlier. Claudia came back on stage amidst uproarious clapping and cheering.

"You all having a good time?" Everyone yelled back. "Good! Are you ready for more?" More yells, catcalls and whistles from the audience. "Then welcome to the stage, the vampire Lestat."

The stage area went black and then the spotlight came on. The drums and bass came on loudly, and Tara and I looked at each other. We recognized it. It was the song from the "Queen of the Damned" movie that the vampire artist had sung first at his concert. I think the title was "Slept So Long." Tara and I had both liked that movie even if it didn't do the author's novels justice.

Claude flew down to the stage just like it had been staged in the movie, grabbed the mic, and began lipsyncing to (belting out) the music as if he was giving the concert himself. "Walking, waiting, alone without a care. Hoping, hating, things that I can't bear." He had the moves down pat.

Claude was six feet tall, muscled with long, curly black hair, and rippling abs that would make any woman weep for joy. The first time I had met Claude I was shocked. He and Claudine looked exactly alike in the face. No mistaking them for twins. Claude was gorgeous and built, and he knew it.

He wore a long, black, lightweight leather coat over a black, see-through shimmery shirt and black, leather pants. I had to admit that he looked yummy. Women were screaming. Not me.

I had posed with Claude at Al Cumberland's studio last year when he had practically begged me to help him out with his portfolio shots. I'd discovered that Claude was both selfish and extremely vain and appeared devoid of people skills on a one-on-one basis. He kind of did nothing for me after that though I appreciated seeing him in action as long as I didn't have to talk to him.

"I see hell in your eyes. Taken in by surprise. Touching you makes me feel alive. Touching you makes me die inside." Claude moved his chiseled jaw as he went on with the song, pausing to give Amelia a smouldering look with his soft, big, brown eyes and jutting out his pouty bottom lip at her. She screamed of course. She had a little thing for Claude even though she knew he batted for the other team. I just rolled my eyes.

When the song finished, it morphed immediately into "Forsaken," another of the songs from the movie. Claude paused for effect and removed the leather coat, tossing it across the stage. He was clad only in the see-through black shirt and black leather pants now. The shirt had little ties all over it that he leaned down between pelvic pumps to let women in the audience tug and undo. He allowed Amelia to pull one. She was ecstatic.

Claude then proceeded to rub his hands over his nipples right in front of her, and they came to little peaks. Amelia's eyes glazed over and then she was shrieking like a banshee.

I started laughing. I couldn't help it. I'd never seen her lose control like this. This boded well for Tray Dawson, the man she was dating, the next time Amelia saw him since Claude had her all warmed up for him. Tray was a goner. He wouldn't be able to move for a week when Amelia got done with him. I smiled sincerely glad that someone was going to get lucky in the next twenty-four hours. I suspected a similar fate awaited Tara's husband, JB, when Tara got home.

Claude loved to show off his body. It was a fairy thing. Claudine was the same way. She enjoyed being looked at and admired for her beauty. I hadn't noticed that my great-grandfather Niall Brigant shared that tendency, but then I was still getting to know him.

The shirt was gone now, and Claude rubbed his hands all over his bare skin and down to his pants. His hips moved in a circular motion. Suddenly, he magically ripped off his black pants. They must had been rigged somehow. Clad only in a black thong/g-string combo he strutted across the stage, then came back to our table and faced away from us and gave us a view of his butt as he moved. Amelia jumped up as he squatted down and was stuffing a five dollar bill into the g-string above his right cheek.

He turned around, smiled, and undid something at his backside and his manhood fell down in front of him wrapped in a black... how should I describe it... sausage wrap. He was semi-hard and making it move in time to the music. The music morphed again into another tune from the "Queen of the Damned" soundtrack-"System."

Tara and I were giggling by this time. This song was slower. Claude was lying on the floor now posing and moving, then he got on all fours and rubbed his... uh... sausage on the floor as if he was doing the deed. Amelia was just plain drooling. I could see the vein in her neck pulsing. I licked my lips and then shook myself. Eric must be hungry wherever he was at the moment or I never would have had such a stray longing like that. I'd never had one before.

I ordered another margarita (my fourth). I was feeling pretty mellow and happy as I sipped my drink. Claude was just finishing up. The women cheered, clapped and whistled for Claude as he took his bows. He was eating it up. Oh what the hell, I yelled too.

Claudine was back on stage at the microphone. "All right ladies. Want more?"

Everyone yelled out that they did. They were revved up and ready to go.

Claudine continued, "Good, because we saved the best for you. Ladies, you may not have heard of him but let me tell you that you are in for a real treat. This is his first performance on stage here at Hooligans. Straight from Scandinavia via Shreveport, and many places in between, please give it up for... Leif."

I was feeling so mellow and happy that it took a second for her words to sink in. I looked up at Claudine. She smiled back at me and winked. Oh no... it couldn't be. Eric.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 3**

'_No, no, no, no, no. He wouldn't. He couldn't_,' I thought to myself. '_Please don't let it be the pink and blue spandex. Not that again._'

The lights went out. We could see smoke (dry ice) starting to billow across the stage even in the dark. Then the purple spotlight came on and the curtains opened.

'_This isn't happening_,' I thought. I put my hands over my face, covering my eyes. I finally had to look as women were going nuts around me.

There he was, a blonde Viking sitting in a leather, fur and wood throne with one leg thrown casually over the throne's arm with his legs spread wide apart. He looked out over the audience slowly like we were mere mortals (which, of course, we were) upon which he was about to bestow a boon.

It was raining over the stereo system, followed by thundering. Church bells began to ring. Snare drums came in next. A chorus of Gregorian chanting was added and intermixed with the drums. As the drums came to the foreground in a raised crescendo, a heavy dance rhythm started up. A deep bass and drum mixture with electronic keyboard. It made me want to get up and dance.

I glanced over at Tara and noticed that she was feeling it too. She and I performed a notorious bump and grind routine when we were in high school which was still being talked about today in hushed and shocked tones by the faculty and administration. We both enjoyed dancing.

I didn't recognize the music. I stole a look at Amelia. "What is this music?" I asked loudly.

"It's Enigma. Their first album. This is called "Mea Culpa," she answered over the din of the music and screaming women.

Eric as his alter ego Leif roused from his throne and stood up. The furs draped over his shoulders were shrugged off and fell abandoned to the throne.

He wore his long, blonde hair loosely flowing over his shoulders and down his back. On top of his head, he wore an ancient, metal helmet which fit snugly and sported what looked like a pair of spectacles welded to the top portion just above his nose, which served as a nose and eye guard. The helmet didn't have horns as I had always seen Viking helmets portrayed in the movies. It was not entirely smooth either like it had been handmade over a forge with a hammer and had a squared-off ridge running over the top of it. Maybe it had. It looked similar to the helmets worn by some of the riders of Rohan in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Eric leaned forward and took off the helmet then raised up quickly whipping his blonde mane back over his head to land in disarray over his shoulders. He laid the helmet on the furs.

His eyes came to rest on me, and he smiled ever so wickedly at me. It sent chills down my spine but not from fear. Sauntering over to me, he stood right in front of our table, and crooked his finger at me.

I gulped but didn't budge. He gave me a look and beckoned again. I shook my head denying his request.

He pursed his lips a bit, raised an eyebrow, at me, issuing me a silent challenge, and then beckoned to me again with several fingers. I looked at Amelia.

"Go on, Sookie. Dance with him."

I looked over at Tara. She gave me a look and shrugged her shoulders. Tara didn't like that I associated with vampires. She had some bad experiences with them last year and had distanced herself somewhat from me because of it. She knew that she owed both me and Eric for saving her from that situation but she was still a little afraid of Eric.

'_Shit!_' I thought. '_Oh what the hell!_' I stood up and stormed to the edge of the stage.

Eric reached down and lifted me up, and whirled me into a dance. He leaned down to say in my ear, "Hello, lover. Miss me?"

All I could say was, "Eric." Miss eloquent as usual.

"You look amazing," he complimented me.

Eric was a strong partner, and we found ourselves moving in time to the force of the dance rhythm. Without missing a beat, we were soon like Baby and Johnny doing dirty dancing. Our limbs were entwined as we ground together. He lifted my leg to come up over his upper thigh as he dipped me backward at a lull in the beat as the singer continued in French, "Je suis a toi mea culpa."

As the beat started again, he smiled down at me, his fangs partly extended and moved toward my neck as if he was going to bite me. I put my hand up against him, pushing him away, playing along with him for the crowd.

He smiled, full fang. The ladies were screaming again.

I was getting incredibly turned on. It had been awhile since I'd been with anyone and found his touch and closeness very stimulating. I was flushed and warm all over, and my heart was pounding in my chest though not from the exertion of the dance. God, even his fangs were turning me on because I knew he was as aroused as I was. His gaze was smouldering down at me, his eyes were almost flashing, and we were both remembering how much fun we had together last year.

All too soon, the song ended, and Eric led me reluctantly back to my table, bent over and kissed my hand, as he helped me down from the stage, tickling my palm gently with his thumb.

I looked at Tara and Amelia, trying to catch my breath. Amelia was smiling knowingly at me. "You set me up, didn't you?" I accused. "You knew he was going to be here tonight."

Amelia answered, "Yes, _I_ did. Someone had to jar you two into the here and now. You two were meant to be together, Sookie. I don't feel a bit guilty about that. How about you, Tara?"

Tara squirmed in her chair, looking guilty, but didn't answer. Amelia continued, "It is about time you two worked things out. I hope you take advantage of this opportunity to have a long talk after the show."

I closed my mouth as I was apparently trying to catch flies, crossed both of my arms, and sat there fuming a bit.

In the meantime, Eric was continuing his performance as more of the Enigma CD was pounding through the club. Amelia told me it was "Sadeness." I looked back to the stage not quite ready to forgive my friends yet for setting me up. The more I thought about it, it was obvious that Claudine was in on this too.

I finally noticed what Eric was wearing for the first time since he'd taken off the furs. A long, brown tunic-like jacket with long sleeves and a low v-neck fell down below his knees and looked like it opened in the front. Under the tunic was another white shirt that was just peeking up above the v-neck of the outer tunic.

He wore smooth thin, light brown leather pants which had felt soft against my legs when we'd danced. He had a belt around his waist with knives hanging in kind of holsters from either side of the belt.

The dry ice had dissipated by then, and I could finally see his feet. He had some sort of leather sandals with leather straps that crisscrossed up his legs to his knees. He looked in a word... hot.

In no hurry to strip, he went for showmanship, and grabbing the knives from his belt, he started twirling them around with singular expertise. He looked over to see if I was watching. God! He was showing off. I rolled my eyes but enjoyed the show anyway.

As Eric finished his knife display, they were suddenly back in his belt. He flew up into the air, did a flip, and landed at the front of the stage in front of the table next to us. Nearly everyone in the club moved back a bit in surprise. If there was any doubt before that he was the real thing, that had quickly been removed.

Eric smiled down at the women, showing his fangs, and his hands dropped to his belt, removing it slowly. One of the women licked her lips in anticipation and yelled, "Take it off, baby. Woooooooo!" I wanted to hit her.

He laughed at her reaction as the belt came off, and he tossed it back over his head without even looking behind him. It landed on the furs on the throne. Show off!

The same ho at the next table who had just told him to 'take it off' was slipping a bill into his sandal straps. Eric actually blew her a kiss. Something grew in my stomach. Something cold. I clenched my hands into fists.

Oh my God! I was jealous! I recognized it as it came up and bit me on the ass. How could I be jealous if I didn't love...oh shit. Oh holy shit! I looked up at Eric, who was slowly slipping off his tunic overcoat in a classic striptease maneuver, in utter amazement.

I was in love with Eric! I knew that I cared about him even beyond the blood-bond. But love?

At one time, he'd been mine. I'd let him go. I was an idiot. Now what.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 4**

I was stunned into immobility. Why hadn't I realized this before? I was in love with Eric. Well, hell! How did that happen? Most of the time I was just irritated with him and sometimes a little afraid of him.

I sat back in the chair and looked up at Eric who was still slipping off the outer tunic. He had started moving his hips back and forth and giving the crowd pouty looks. Must be a stripper thing. When the garment was off, he let it drop to the floor and drew in his lower lip, closed his eyes and moved in time to the music. I could feel how much fun he was having over our bond.

He strutted back in front of our table, turned so that his back was toward us, looked around at me and started moving his hips so that I'd get to watch his butt move. He grinned at me.

Amelia screamed. I would have turned to give her a look, but I was mesmerized. How I loved his butt! I chanced a look at him and met his eyes, matching him look for look. I looked back at his butt and sighed. He laughed and moved down to yet another table.

He moved down onto one knee and did a little flip up and backward and landed facing away from the audience. He pulled the white under tunic out of the waist of his brown, leather pants and let the shirt fall down over his pants. He turned and raised his arms into the air, closed his hands into fists and moved in time to the music. He lowered one arm and moved it up under his shirt, lifting it up a bit to give a teasing glimpse of his chest then lowered the shirt again. With his hand on his stomach, he moved it up and down over his shirt and then lowered it to close his hand over his crotch, again drawing in his lower lip and closing his eyes as if in ecstacy.

Some poor woman at the table fell out of her chair and was flat on the floor–out cold. I started laughing. Eric opened his eyes and looked at me with a wicked smile. Crossing both his arms he pulled the shirt up and over his head, walked back over to our table and threw it at me. I caught it and held it to my nose. God! I had forgotten how good he could smell. I looked back up at him. My eyes widened.

Under the shirt, he was wearing a leather contraption that crisscrossed his chest. His arms were up in the air again as he gyrated his hips. When the music changed a little, he did one of those quick, vampire-moving-fast maneuvers, and when we saw him again, he was back at the throne with a sword in his hand.

Eric raised it in both of his hands straight up into the air, then had it twirling back and forth from hand to hand and hand over hand in the most amazing feat of sword-hand play that I had ever witnessed. He even balanced it in the palm of his hand and walked around with it sticking straight up in the air as he moved his hips in time to the music. He was very pleased with himself. I could tell.

With a quick movement, the sword was sheathed at his back, sticking up over one side of his neck. Eric turned around so that we could see that it was now safely in a scabbard at his back. He picked up one of the knives from his belt on the throne. Fingering it, he smiled and strutted back to the front of the stage and slid it into the leather strap just below his knees. He moved his hands up and down his chest as if it were his lover's hands caressing him. He moved one hand down under the waist band of his pants and pumped his hips.

The ho rushed to the edge of the stage waving a bill yelling, "Wooooooooooooooo. Oh yeah. Come to mama, stud."

I gritted my teeth. Eric moved his leg over so that she could stuff it in his sandals. She had the gall to maul his leg. He moved just out of her reach as her friends pulled her back into her chair. Good thing too.

Eric leaned over and drew the knife back out and moved it to his chest. He drew the point up and down his chest and scraped it over each of his nipples moving his head back as if he were really getting turned on by it. He lowered his head and moved the point down to his belly button and then lower.

The music was still pumping through the club as Eric looked down at his leather pants which were done up in front with leather ties. He looked over at me, took the knife, and slowly cut the ties. His pants came open in front. There was a leather piece of some sort going around his lower hips. He put the knife back into his sandals, raised up and reached in and pulled himself out.

I stopped breathing for a second as I took in the view. He had a sausage wrap too. Except his was made out of what look like chain mail. The crowd went wild. He grinned wickedly, turned around and slid his leather pants slowly down over his butt and flexed his cheeks just to torture us. Or rather torture me. If they had a contest tonight, Eric would go away with a red ribbon. Or a gold medal since as far as I was concerned, his butt had Olympic potential. I giggled as I pictured Eric running in his sausage wrap carrying the Olympic torch.

I was leaning away from my chair in order to get a better look, and being just a little more than tipsy after four drinks, my chair tipped, and I fell on the floor. I quickly got back up to see that his leather pants were completely gone and lying on the floor. Never did see how he got them over his sandal straps. I'd have to ask Amelia later.

As I looked, the only thing between Eric and his skin was leather and chain mail. He still had on the crisscrossed leather chest scabbard, and he was also wearing a leather and chain mail version of a g-string. Oh lordy. I started choking.

His hair was gone! He'd shaved his nether region. At least I'd hoped he was the one who had done it. Surely he hadn't hired Barry 'the Barber' to do it. Nah! Surely not. At least, I hoped not. I just couldn't get a mental picture of that. Couldn't go there.

Barry was nicknamed 'the Barber' because at a hundred dollars a pop, he would shave the pubic hair off of anyone who wanted it, between his stage sets. Some people really got off on it.

I'd seen every inch of Eric before, and it was just plain weird to see him with a chain mail sausage wrap and no blond fur. Okay, maybe it was just me, but I kind of missed it. Would it grow back? Wouldn't he get cold down there? Well, maybe not. Vampires didn't really get cold, did they.

I was feeling odd. Maybe it was the drinks, but I just got fixated on Eric's chain mail. Eric was what some would call a 'show-er.' He had plenty to show before he was aroused. He was also a 'grow-er.' If you were impressed before, you were really impressed when he was ready to go, so to speak. He was about half mast and moving himself enough that women were running up to the stage waving bills at him. He moved over to them and suddenly he had bills stuffed everywhere.

Eric strutted down to our table and got down on his knees and jutted himself forward. I reached up and stuffed a ten down his sausage wrap and gave a light stroke to the base of his cock with the tip of my finger as I did so, and I didn't even graze the chain mail in the process. I saw his nipples go hard, and as our eyes met, his pupils dilated as I watched. He mouthed, "Lover."

I wanted him so bad that it was all I could do not to jump up on the stage and rip off his chain mail and jump his bones in front of everyone. The look in his eyes told me that he was feeling the same way. I was flushed. I forced myself to sit back down in the chair and took relaxing breaths.

I watched him as he jutted, gyrated, pranced, rolled on the floor, crawled on the floor, and made his chain mail dance. As the music winded down, he drew out his sword, did the splits, and laid the sword down in front of him and lowered his head to the stage. He was really limber. I should know. I had personal experience with how limber he really was.

Women clapped. They cheered. They whistled. They yelled.

Eric stood up and smiled, taking his bows. He had an impressive amount of bills stuffed everywhere that they could possibly be stuffed. I stood up, excused myself to Tara and Amelia, grabbed my purse, my red coat, and Eric's shirt and went to find Claudine.

Claudine was smiling when I found her. "Cousin, did you enjoy the show?"

"Yes. I'll talk to you about that later. Where is his dressing room, Claudine?"

Claudine smirked. "Follow me," she said and led me to the back. She showed me into the room where he changed before the show and closed the door behind her, leaving me alone in the room. I went to the little adjoining rest room, and when I came back out, I saw Eric's leather jacket and jeans lying on a large, leather chair. I set them aside, sat down and waited.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 5**

While I waited, I lifted Eric's shirt and buried my nose in it. It smelled great. It had been so long. I rubbed it against my cheek feeling like a lovesick sap. I reached over and stroked his leather jacket. I was surprised at how calm I had become as I waited.

Standing up, I went into the rest room adjoining the dressing room to relieve myself. Hearing someone coming, suddenly, I was feeling anything but calm.

Eric opened the door and came inside carrying all his stage gear. He wasn't even surprised to see me. He was downright 'gleeful.' I hadn't seen that look on his face since he forced me to tell him what happened between us that week a year ago. At the time, he couldn't remember. He hadn't been that happy when I gave him the shortened version then, as I recall.

As he started setting his stage gear on the floor, I stood up to help him with the sword and belt and set them on the floor as well.

Eric was still wearing the leather and chain mail get up though he had removed the bills. They were in his hand. I looked at the wad of cash and asked, "How much did you make?"

Eric grinned and said, as he leaned over and picked up his jacket and slipped the money into his right pocket, "Eight hundred and three dollars." He laid the jacket back down, turned fully to me, and gazed down at me.

There was an awkward moment or two when we were both staring at each other unsure what to do or say. I looked at his left nipple and licked my lower lip. The next second, I was up against the wall having my tonsils sucked down his throat.

Not that I minded. I was as hot for him as he was for me. I had my hand twined through his hair holding his mouth to mine, kissing him back. The amazing kiss went on and on, and his hand lowered to my thigh and slid up under my dress to my ass and pulled me harder against him. He was at full mast and pressing against me, making my skin react hotly in response. I moaned against his mouth.

Encouraged by my own response to him, I reached one hand down between us and pulled on the chain mail which turned out to be fabric in a chain mail pattern. I pulled hard on the fabric and heard it tear away, and my hand was stroking his smooth, hard length. Eric groaned against my mouth, and his hand moved down to my panties so that he could reciprocate. It wasn't much of a surprise to me how quickly black panties can disappear when you wanted them out of the way.

Eric's hand stroked between my legs, and two fingers slipped inside me. When his fingers found how wet I was for him, he growled, lifted me up and onto him. I moved my hands to his shoulders, and in one thrust, he was deep inside me. I wrapped my legs tightly around him and savored the feel of him engulfing me, filling me fully.

I was breathing heavily in anticipation, as our eyes connected. Eric touched my face with his knuckles as he looked at me, and I could see tenderness in his eyes even though I knew he was as anxious as I was to complete our coupling.

"I have missed you, Sookie Stackhouse. I had hoped that we could have a long discussion before reacquainting ourselves again in this manner. Recalling my stay at your home has been a favorite pastime of mine while I have been dealing with Nevada. Actually finding myself inside you is..."

"Eric! Will you please shut up and kiss me!" I said in frustration, squirming a bit.

Eric smiled before his mouth found mine again, and he started moving within me. When I clamped down on him from the inside and made him groan, he started moving faster, pulled his lips from mine and pulled my dress off my shoulder and down my arm until he could expose my left breast. He slid my bra down below my breast, and moved his hand over my nipple as he scraped a fang on my earlobe. I came in a shuddering puddle around him.

Shifting inside me, his tongue found my ear and he wrapped his lips around my earlobe, sucking on it as he started thrusting faster, catching the spot that drove me insane. I was barely finished riding the first wave when I felt it building again. As if he sensed it, he increased his pace.

"Oh yes, Eric," I heard myself say.

"Come again for me, lover. Come with me," he encouraged and thrust deeper over and over and over again.

I exploded and when I did, I felt Eric allow himself to come with me as he thrust a couple more times then shuddered and pulsed inside me. He yelled my name.

We stayed like that for a couple of minutes with his head resting forward against my neck, and then we slid bonelessly to the floor on top of the furs that Eric had set down earlier. He was still inside me as I lay on top of him. He was kissing my hair and rubbing his hands all over me, soothing my fevered skin. I sighed contentedly, pressed my lips to his shoulder, and ran my finger down his arm.

"Come home with me tonight, Sookie," requested Eric.

I thought about that for a bit before I answered him. I raised my head and looked him in the eyes. I wanted this little moment to go on for a bit longer, but the thought of spending more time with him, especially in _his_ home which I'd never seen before, was what I wanted more than anything. "Okay," I answered.

Laughter outside the door made both of us realize that this wasn't the time or the place to linger. We roused and started to pull apart, but Eric held on to me and pulled my head gently back down until his lips met mine again.

This kiss was unlike our lustful encounter. This kiss was tender with promise. I raised my head up reluctantly and eased off of him, pulling my dress down, got on my hands and knees and stood up. I grabbed my purse and went into the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and smiled to myself. I looked like I had just been pillaged. I cleaned up a bit, set my hair and makeup back in some semblance of order, and went back into the small dressing room.

Eric had dressed quickly, helped me on with my coat, and then between us, we gathered up his belongings and went to the dressing room door. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss as we left the room.

"How did you manage to be around my cousins without losing your self control?" I asked as we walked down the corridor to the back of the club.

Vampires were very fond of fairies. In fact, I had witnessed my vampire practically lose his cool last year in Merlottes when he'd first met Claudine. He'd wanted her. He wanted to drain her dry. Fairies were to vampires like alcohol was to an alcoholic. Very addictive and often fatal, at least to the fairy. Eric had sniffed me after I'd been around Claude one time. I had felt like I was the joint, and he was the toker.

He smiled and laughed, "It wasn't easy. Though we have tried to stay clear of each other, the fairy smell has been very intoxicating even being in an area where one of them had just been. I also had to promise to behave myself or they would send Niall to deal with me. I'd rather be on Niall's good side."

I laughed. Eric was a bit afraid of my great-grandfather. That was interesting.

He'd told me that Niall was very powerful in the fairy hierarchy and that if there was ever trouble with the fairies that Niall would be the first one he'd try to take out. I'd never told Eric that Niall had offered to take out Eric to sever our bond. I remember how panicked I'd been when he'd suggested it. I certainly was conflicted about our blood bond, but I definitely didn't want Eric dead. He meant so much more to me. I should have realized just how much at the time.

We went out the back door and down the stairs to the parking lot to Eric's red corvette. He set down the sword, belt and furs and unlocked the door. We stuffed all the gear in the back, and Eric helped me into the car and closed the door for me and was practically entering his side of the car by the time my door closed. He got in and grinned at me as he closed his door and turned on the engine.

I suddenly remembered Tara and Amelia.

"What?" he asked, when I grabbed my purse and started looking for my phone.

"I need to let Amelia and Tara know that I'm not riding home with them," I replied.

"They probably have already figured that out," he said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and texted Amelia that I was going home with Eric and to tell Tara that I was okay. She texted back, 'wahoo.' I closed my phone and put it back in my purse.

Eric glanced over at me as we drove through Monroe. He was quiet for a bit then asked curiously, "What happened just after dark, Sookie? I know you were upset about something."

"Didn't Claudine tell you?" I asked.

He shook his head. "We were keeping our distance, remember?"

I rested my head on the back of the seat and said, "I swerved to miss a deer and wrecked my car."

I moved my head to judge his reaction. He was trying hard not to smile, but in the end, he looked concerned. "I take it you were uninjured."

I was a little irritated with him now. He was pleased my car was wrecked because he thought it was a piece of shit.

"I'm fine or I wouldn't have come to the club tonight. But get this straight, Eric. You are not going to buy me a new car."

He looked out the window and didn't say anything for a bit. I know that he liked helping me out and being in control of everyone and everything around him.

In the end, he didn't say to me what I knew he wanted to say, and said instead, "I know that you like your independence, Sookie. There may come a time that you will need help and will need to learn to accept help. I also know that if we are going to try and talk with each other about the future, that we will need to make some compromises with one another. We are both proud... and stubborn beings. We do have... feelings between us that we need to explore. Can we be open about those things with each other and talk them over amicably?"

I blinked and looked at him. "Have you been watching Oprah or Dr. Phil or something?"

Eric burst out laughing. That sound warmed my heart. I would never grow tired of Eric's laugh.

"Pam," he answered. "She bought me a book. 'Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.' She made me read it. She even quizzed me on it."

Pam had been reading Dear Abby and getting in touch with her inner self and was always giving out advice now. I smiled. '_Yeah for Pam_,' I thought.

"Oh she did, did she? Hmm... I've read that book myself. I don't remember the chapter about stripping in public to drive your ex-lover into a lustful frenzy to get her back into your bed."

Eric smiled as he looked away from the road to glance at me. "Well, technically, you've never been in my bed, have you, lover? Though, honestly, I have had some fantasies about _you_ in my bed that would make you blush," he added wickedly.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 6**

I felt heated at Eric's words and with the way he was looking at me. I _was_ blushing. He laughed again which made it even worse. I looked away.

We were on the highway now on the way to Shreveport and passing through a wooded area. I looked to the right and saw movement just in time to shout, "Eric!"

I closed my eyes as Eric slammed on the brakes, veering the car to the left, and kept them closed until we stopped spinning. Eric killed the engine.

"Sookie!" Eric exclaimed, gently shaking me. "Are you damaged?"

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at his worried face. "No, I don't think so. What happened?" I asked.

"A deer ran in front of us," he answered. "I managed to avoid damage to my car, but it was close. You mentioned that you swerved to miss a deer earlier. Did you get a good look at it?"

"Yes, I guess so. It was a buck with a white tail. Why?" I asked, running my hand through my hair.

He looked thoughtful. "It is just too much of a coincidence that two bucks with white tails ran in front of a car that you were in tonight. Something is not right here."

He reached behind his seat and grabbed his belt and sword. He set the sword upright between his legs, then pulled one of the knives from his belt and handed it to me, hilt first. "Listen very closely to me, Sookie. Do you remember what you said to me last year when I asked you if you thought having sex with me was the best sex you'd ever had?"

"Yes, I said..."

Eric quickly placed two fingers against my mouth. "No, do not say it out loud. I am going to get out of the car and look around a bit. I want you to lock the doors and do not let anyone in including me. If I come back to the car and can not tell you what you said to me, do not let me into the car. Do you hear me? Under no circumstances do you let me in."

"But, Eric...I..."

"Please, do this for me, Sookie. I will be right back. If I am not back within twenty minutes, drive back to Hooligans and stay with Claudine. She will protect you."

"But..." I started, saw his determined look and then said, "Okay, fine. I will do it. You had better come back in one piece, Eric."

He leaned over and kissed me and replied, "I will be back." With that he picked up the sword, got out of the car and was gone.

I did as he asked, locked the doors, and sat there looking all around me with a watchful eye. I was pretty creeped out.

About six minutes later, Eric came back to the car. Was it just my imagination or was he favoring one of his legs?

"Hey," he said. "I could not find anything. False alarm. Let me in."

"Sure," I said and leaned over to unlock his door but something in me hesitated. I looked him up and down and then focused on his hands. "Where's your sword?"

He looked a bit startled but quickly recovered. "I slipped in a stream back there, twisted my ankle, and lost it in the water. Come on, baby. Let me in," he smiled.

_Baby?_ Eric never called me baby. Lover, dear one, or Sookie I had heard, but _baby_? I squinted my eyes at him. He certainly looked like Eric and sounded like Eric, but it wasn't him. The bond wasn't making me feel all warm and fuzzy either.

I said, sarcastically, "Fell in a stream my ass. You are not even wet. Tell me what I said to you last year Eric."

"What? You said a lot of things to me last year, baby. Come on. Let me in," he said more urgently.

"No! I don't know who you are, buster, but you get away from this car before my... before he gets back."

The faux Eric's face grew angry, and he tried the handle forcefully. "Let me in. Now!" he demanded.

"No," I replied. "You aren't gettin' in this car, buddy."

He snarled, turned away from the car, shimmered, and was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was short-lived.

I heard a growl, a shuffling, and then what sounded like water running on the side of Eric's car. Suddenly, a large black wolf jumped up onto the hood of the corvette. He took his paw, grimaced, and made several scratches in the paint. He raised his head and looked at me. As the animal bared his teeth at me, I realized he was smiling. His tongue came out of his mouth, and he licked the windshield in front of me, whined, and then laid down. He rolled to his side, shimmered, and suddenly a naked man was lying on his side, grinning at me.

"Shut up!" I said in astonishment to myself.

The moon was out, shining through the clouds, so I could see he was a giant of a man. Well, not exactly gargantuan but he looked taller than Eric and was stockily-built. Not bad looking either for that matter. Light skin, long, thick black hair. I avoided looking below his waist but the quick glance I had taken had well... he was just big everywhere.

It was the eyes though that finally caught my attention. Luminescent green in color they seemed to bore into my soul. With some difficulty, I forced myself to turn away.

"This isn't funny! Who are you? What do you want?" I questioned.

"You!" he replied, putting his hand on the windshield. "If that fairy hadn't shown up earlier, we'd already be together."

"That was you that forced me off the road? Why would you do that?" I asked.

He acted as if I hadn't said a word and said a bit dreamily, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." His eyes were actually reflecting a greenish inner light as he looked at me. "I want you."

I looked down at his chin and replied, "Well, you can't have me. I belong to someone else. Go away."

"You belong to me, woman. I will kill the north man for you. Then you will be mine."

"You most certainly will not. He is _mine_!" I said possessively, getting angrier by the minute. I reached over and pressed my hand on the horn and started honking it, hoping to get Eric's attention, but it went dead after two quick honks.

Exasperated, I pulled out my cell phone and started to call Eric. It went black. I shook it a few times and then threw it on the seat in frustration. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?" I demanded to know.

He smiled, toothily. "You should know me, woman," he said as he shimmered and changed back into Eric. "I am your lover."

Eric swooped out of the air onto the ground by the car, sword in hand, and grabbed the faux Eric by the hair near the scruff of his neck. "Like hell you are. She is _mine_, shifter," Eric growled, slammed his alter ego down on his back on the hood of the car, and placed the point of the sword at his throat. "Now just what the hell do you think you are doing with _my_ woman?"

"Yes, what he said!" I said just to reassure Eric that I was behind him one hundred percent. I made to get out of the car, and without looking at me, Eric said, "Stay in the car, Sookie." I had no problem with that, so I stayed.

The faux Eric said, moving his head so he could look at me with puppy love in his eyes, "Ah, now I know the beauty's name. Sookie. So lovely. My lovely, lovely, Sookie."

I rolled my eyes. I was doing that a lot tonight.

Eric was furious, "Do not _dare_ address her by her name, you _son of a bitch_!" Eric raised the point of the sword in the air and hit his captive in the stomach with the blunt end of the sword.

The man gave a grunt in pain and said through clenched teeth, "You should not insult my mother, north man. She is powerful."

"I am not impressed, shifter, and you have not answered my question," replied Eric evenly.

The faux Eric went lax. Eric made the mistake of risking a glance at me, and the faux Eric pushed Eric away from him and then disappeared into thin air.

Well, that was just plain weird.

Eric growled in anger. He stood there for a moment, looking at me, and started, "Sookie, are you..." He stopped when he saw the scratches on the hood of his car. "_Misbegotten son of a...!_" he yelled, then stopped himself.

Eric loved his car so I got that he was upset. As he was looking down, trying to regain his composure, he leaned over and picked something up from the ground. It was broken, whatever it was. Hmm... it looked like it had feathers on one end. Eric examined it closely and then sniffed the pointy end. His eyes flashed, and he bellowed into the air, "_Eros! What have you done?_"

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 7**

I don't think I had ever seen Eric so livid. He was cursing in another language now. I had no idea what he was saying.

"Neinn, neinn, neinn, neinn! Swina bqllr! Huglausi brusi!" Eric exclaimed. "Ein spadi for qvoki ne skeifr drpr munni ne svinhqfdi!"

He stopped ranting and turned his head slightly as he sniffed. He walked around the driver's side of the car, looked down, and sniffed again. His lips curled back into a snarl. "Swina!"

He stormed the couple of feet to the car door and ordered, "Let me in, Sookie." When I hesitated, he said, "Wouldn't you like to know."

I unlocked the door and retrieved my cell phone. Eric opened the door, tore a strip from his t-shirt, wrapping it carefully around the pointed end of the arrow, climbed inside, threw the arrow and sword into the back seat, and slammed the door shut. Laying his head back against the rest, he closed his eyes, forced a deep breath, and released it slowly, trying to calm down.

I reached my hand over and touched his cool one. He jerked slightly but let me take his hand in mine. "Eric, what just happened?"

Eric opened one eye and said, "He relieved himself on my car. Apparently, it was not bad enough that he insulted my woman and scratched the hood of my corvette. No, he had to mark his territory by urinating on my car as well! Damned shifter."

"No, that's not what I meant. What is going on, Eric? Who was that, and what does he want?"

He straightened up, released my hand, started the car, put it in gear, and peeled out onto the highway. "Sookie, I am sorry that this evening will not progress as I had hoped it would. I will explain soon. I need to get you to make some calls and get to Fangtasia."

"But Eric, I..." I started to ask but he'd already whipped out his cell phone and used speed dial.

"Pam? Eric. Call everyone in. We will meet when the bar closes. No, Pam, I cannot explain over the phone, needless to say that the divine are once again interfering in the mortal realm. A certain troublesome shifter paid Sookie and I a visit tonight and tried to abduct Sookie."

My eyes went wide as I gulped, and I could hear Pam exclaim, "This is not good."

"We are on our way. Should arrive in about twenty minutes. Call Alcide and Calvin in as well. I want to see what they know."

Before he hung up, I said, "Call Sam. He should be in on this too. Whatever this is," I added under my breath.

"Oh, Pam? Call Sookie's shifter boss," he said as he flipped his cell closed and put it back in his jacket.

"Um, Eric? I appreciate you being all protective of me and everything, but..." I started and then swallowed and just let my temper flare for a moment. "just _what_ the _hell_ is going on? If you think for one minute that I am going to wait til we get to Shreveport and then wait until 2 a.m. when you have 'the meeting,' then you are just out of your mind. _Spill it_, buster."

"Buster? You call _me_, buster?"

"Yes, I will call you buster if I want to. So, so there," I said in a huff.

Eric was going to continue but he pursed his lips, gritted his teeth, and sped up the car.

"Slow down, I'm still mortal, remember?"

"Yes, you've mentioned that before," he replied.

"So?"

"So, what?"

I groaned, "Oh come on! You know what. Answer my questions."

"Sookie, I am not going to tell this story twice. You will have to wait."

"Turn the car around," I said.

"What?" he asked, looking at me startled.

"Turn the frickin' car around and take me home," I ordered.

"Sookie, I am not going to take you back to Bon Temps. It is not safe there. Especially now."

"I want to go home."

"I am sorry, Sookie, but the only home you are going to tonight is mine. It has 24 hour security, and you will be safe."

"Stop the car! I mean it, Eric. Stop this car and let me out."

Eric slammed on the brakes, put the car in park, reached over me and opened the door. "Go on. Get out then. But remember this. Every time you have gotten into an argument in a car with either me or Bill, it did not turn out well. You were attacked by a maenad and again by weres. After what you just witnessed tonight, do you really want to get out of this car and be out on this deserted road, in the dark, in the middle of the night in February by yourself? Do you?" he asked intently, his face just a few inches from mine.

I glared at him and said, "No." I leaned out reluctantly and pulled the door closed as hard as I could. "Sometimes, you just really piss me off, Eric Northman. You can be a real control freak."

"Good. Better you pissed off than dead... or worse," Eric replied pragmatically. He paused, and said, "Control freak?"

"Yes, that's right. You have to have everything your way or everyone around you pays for it."

"So what you are telling me is that because I want to keep you from harm, that categorizes me as a control freak? Sookie, that is just... well that is just not true. The only reason I want to keep you safe is because I'm in love with you." He looked startled that he had actually said it out loud. "I mean... well... uskit'r!" he said finally. He started the car again and continued down the road.

I was pretty shocked. It was obvious that the last part had slipped out. Well, well, well. At least one good thing came about because of this argument. It got him to admit his feelings. Sort of. He'd ended with what I assumed was a swear word in another language.

"Humphf. So much for talking things over amicably," I said under my breath.

Eric looked sideways at me and started laughing. It was infectious. By the time we got to the bar, I had tears running down my face from laughing so much.

When he turned off the engine, he leaned over and kissed me gently on the lips. "Let us not fight with one another. We can really 'push each other's buttons,' I believe the saying goes. The only button I want to push is the one connected to the response center of your luscious body. I want to do delicious things to you in and out of that dress and am frustrated that events have come about that have spoiled what would have been a very special evening for both of us."

"Eric?" I asked, moving my finger up to run along his lower lip. "Just how much time is there until the meeting?"

"About an hour and a half..." he started and then saw the expression on my face and smiled.

"Is there a lock on your office door?" I asked, running my hand down and across his chest.

"Oh yes, my lover. Indeed there is," he answered, his eyes smoldering at me.

"So, you still have that leather couch?"

He lips descended on mine. To be honest, I don't even remember how we got to his office.

_A/N: Although this is Sookie's story, I couldn't resist a bit from Pam's POV, so here is a post morteum:_

"Pam!" exclaimed Felicia, hurrying up to me.

"Yes, what is it?" I replied, as I checked a fangbanger's ID, and then said, "Go on in... at your own risk." I gave him a little fang just to get him hot. "We close promptly at 2 tonight."

"The sheriff is here with that waitress from Bon Temps."

"Sookie, Felicia. Her name is Sookie. Where are they?"

"They went back to his office," she said. "They didn't even see me as they went by."

"Watch the door for a minute. I will return," I told her, signaling to Clancy to go to the door as I walked through the bar and into the back. I started to knock on the door and heard something hit it with great force. I tried the knob, and it wouldn't turn.

Then I heard rhythmic movement against the door, then an "umphf," then glass breaking, and my curiosity got the better of me. '_Are they fighting again?_' I thought to myself. I put my ear up against the door and listened.

"Shit! Your zipper is stuck, Eric."

I heard a little growl and a rending sound, and my sheriff said, "Not any more." More silence and then he continued, "I want to fuck you on my desk, lover."

More crashing as I could imagine he had cleared the top of his desk in one sweep. I smiled to myself and stifled a snicker. Well, it was about time they cleared all that sexual tension between them. I knew the strip club would get to her. I had told him so, but really their timing was bad.

Eric had been impossible this past year. Between his sexual frustration and Dracula's birthday party last week, he had been making our lives miserable at the club.

"Oh Eric...I... oh God! Yes, right there. Ah... ah..."

"Pam," said Felicia as she came down the corridor. "Clancy sent me back for you. There is trouble at the door. I'll just tell the sheriff," she said as she made to go past me toward the door.

I put my hand lightly on her arm, "Oh no. The sheriff's attentions are engaged elsewhere at the moment. I will handle this. Tell everyone to stay away from the office until the sheriff comes," as I paused with a smile, "out of the office."

I laughed all the way to the front, and then Clancy and I cracked the heads of the troublemakers together. Problem solved. Well, at least, this one.

Notes:

Old Norse loose translations:

"No, no, no, no! Pig penises! Cowardly he-goat! With this sword, I will cleave your lying maggot mouth from your swine head! Swine!"

'swina' is swine (pig)

'uskit'r' is shit


	8. Chapter 8

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 8**

"I should be mad at you, Eric," I said as I laid on top of my Viking with my head resting on his shoulder, tracing my finger down one side of his chest.

We were stretched out on Eric's black sofa in his office after round two, both of us sated after grabbing a little time to release some pent up sexual tension. My dress was puddled on the floor, and I was still wearing one of my black heels. Eric moved his hand on my butt and pushed me against his manhood.

"If you want more, you just need to ask," he said, intentionally misinterpreting what I was mad about. I could just hear the smirk in his voice without even looking up. Sometimes he could be so infuriatingly smug.

"I'm not talking about that. I..."

Eric placed two fingers against my lips. "Sshhh," he whispered. "I just want us to enjoy this moment between us. It has been over a year since I have lain with you like this. I just... I just need to be with you before I..._ we_ face what is to come."

Eric and I had been lovers for a time after he'd been cursed by the witch, Hallow. She had cursed Eric when he had rejected her advances. The curse resulted in amnesia, and he'd ended up in Bon Temps, half naked with my home ending up as the safe house for the sheriff of area 5.

Even with his memory loss, it had been one of the happiest times in my life. His being at my house, that is, not the fact that he'd been cursed. Eric had been a wonderful lover and friend, then had forgotten about our time together when the curse was lifted. It drove him nuts that he couldn't remember, and then he was even worse after he made me tell him what had happened between us as payment for him doing me a favor when I'd asked. I had told him that not only did we have sex in every room in my house, but that he had been willing to give up everything for me.

I had to admit I hadn't been kind to Eric for months after that time, but he had been angry with me as well. We had both hurt each other. Rejecting each other. I had even thrown another man at him when I had dated Quinn. Whether my relationship with Eric was irreparable remained to be seen.

When he'd finally remembered our time together last fall, it had shocked him. I'll never forget the look on his face when I walked into my room and saw him sitting there with his head in his hands. Instead of talking to him, I'd ducked into the bathroom. With all that had gone down that night, I wasn't able to deal with it. Was I ready to deal with it now?

Eric was beautiful though, a great lover, powerful, protective, possessive, confident, and a lot of fun. He was also a thousand year old Viking vampire who was used to having everyone around him obey him. I was the only one who would not bow and scrape to him. When it has suited me, I have helped him like I promised him I would the second time we met. I also continued to do it because I had genuine affection for him. We have saved each other's lives so many times that I've lost count. Sometimes he does the most unexpected things for me with a word, a touch or a glance. He'd given me things that I needed just because I needed them. He hadn't asked for anything in return.

The only way I'd been dealing with Eric was avoiding him just like he had been staying away from me lately. I definitely have feelings for him too. But dare I tell him?

He wrapped both arms around me and held me tightly like he didn't want to let me go and kissed the top of my head. "Did you mean what you said in the car?" I asked against his chest.

He stiffened slightly and was quiet for a bit, stroking his hands up and down my back. "I have told you that I had feelings for you."

I raised up and leaned my head on my hand with my elbow resting on his chest and just looked at him. He looked back intently at me with those amazing blue eyes and reached a hand up to smooth back the hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear. "Yes, you have. You also told me that you didn't like having feelings. Is that why you stayed away? Why I haven't heard from you in months?"

"I am sorry, Sookie. I have been... distracted. I should have called you anyway. I could feel over our bond that you have been unhappy and that something had upset you tonight. I desperately wanted to come to you. I could not bear to stay away any longer even if I do break my agreement with Niall."

"What did you say?" I asked, raising up a bit more. "What does my great-grandfather have to do with you staying away?"

Eric looked irritated and sheepish at the same time and looked away toward the door. He turned back to me and admitted, "He came to see me after talking with you last fall. He asked me to give you some space so that you could heal mentally and physically after all the trauma you had gone through this past year. I didn't want to agree to it. But I did it for you. You did need some space. I just could not stand being away from you any longer. I missed the hell out of you."

I filed that last tidbit away for future reference, and then let my temper flare. "So, let me get this straight. You _AND_ my great-grandfather made this agreement without consulting me? You both left me hanging in the breeze with no explanation? You let me think that I meant nothing to you? No calls. No innuendos. No nothing? Fine! Just great. Thanks, Eric."

"Sookie, I have been hosting the Nevada vampires and dealing with our negotiations. In the midst of this, Niall shows up at Fangtasia and called me to task for continually endangering your life. I got a lecture for breaking your cell phone when you tried to call him. He then proceeded to ask me what my intentions were toward you."

I looked surprised. "What? He did?" I gulped. "What did you answer him?"

Eric looked at me and suddenly smiled, trying to lighten the mood, and said, "Wouldn't you like to know."

I fumed for a minute but then realized I had thrown that at him before. No wonder he wanted that to be our 'safe' phrase. I guess I was due for some payback. I stomped on my temper.

"Besides," he continued, "I _was_ hosting the king and his retinue. Turning my attentions in your direction was risky given that de Castro knew of our bond. I wanted to keep you safe. It was not my intention to hurt you by not staying in touch. I also needed some time to sort through my... feelings for you. My feelings have not changed since I stayed with you. Being with you made... makes me happy. I came to the conclusion that I could stay away no longer."

"So you arrange for my friends and my cousins to get me to Hooligans so that you could strip in front of me?"

He gave me a wicked side smile and wagged his eyebrows at me. "I had been away for so long that I thought drastic measures were needed to remind you that you enjoyed having sex with me."

"Oh yeah, well..." I started but his lips cut me off as he pulled my head down to his and gave me an open-mouthed kiss that turned me to mush, and my brain shut down. His tongue danced with mine in an old rhythm. He was using every technique he knew to make me feel, and feel, and feel.

Deep strokes with his tongue were making me ache for him again. He broke from the kiss with a groan, turned his head so that his nose was on the other side of my face and captured my lips again, using one hand to pull my head closer for an even deeper kiss that just kept on going.

My heart was pounding. My head was pounding. I wanted him again. The pounding continued. I finally came to the realization that someone was at the door.

"Eric, it is nearly closing time," informed Pam through the door. "I thought you might want to come _and_ join us."

"Pam!" Eric growled.

I could just barely hear her as she walked away. She was laughing. "She really doesn't know when to stop, does she?" said Sookie.

"You have no idea!" answered Eric. "She can be a handful, but she is fiercely loyal to me."

When I rose up and pulled out and off of him, he groaned. I got up off the sofa in search of my clothes. I felt Eric staring at me and felt his lust. I picked up Eric's pants and threw them at him. He caught them in mid-air.

"Good luck with the zipper on that," I said with a playful smile.

Eric gave me the one raised eyebrow, got up off the sofa, and walked over to the closet. He unbuckled his leather belts and slid his costume–at least what there was of it–off. He pulled out another pair of black jeans and slid them on, then followed it with a t-shirt. I had stopped pulling my dress on to watch this procedure, wishing that we were at his home spending the rest of the night in bed together. When I looked up, I found him looking back at me.

"Sookie, if you keep looking at me like that I will want to fuck you again, so I suggest you redress with all haste."

I slid on the dress and went in search of my underpants. I found my other shoe luckily. Eric saw me looking around, picked up his jacket, and pulled out my lacy underwear, dangling them on his index finger and smiling at me. "Looking for these?"

I rolled my eyes, walked over and retrieved them. Before I could turn around to find the bathroom, he snaked his arms around me and pulled me in for a kiss.

Finally, he said, "Sookie, I don't know what is in store for us, but know one thing. I... I do... love... you."


	9. Chapter 9

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 9**

After I got out of the bathroom, Eric and I walked out into the main part of the bar. When Eric saw Bill, he snaked his arm around my waist, leaned into me and kissed me behind my ear. Just great. Might as well paste a big sign on my chest saying, 'Property of Eric Northman. Hands off' or just a big 'Mine.' I elbowed him in the side. He pretended to flinch and smiled down at me. I pursed my lips and went over to where Sam was sitting at a table with Tray and Amelia and sat down in the empty chair, leaned back, and crossed my arms.

"Sookie, what's going on? What happened after you left? Are you okay?" asked Amelia.

"Ask Mr. Wait-Til-We-Get-to-the-Bar-I'm-Not-Telling-This-Story-Twice! He seems to know what is going on," I glared over at Eric. "How'd you get here, Amelia? Where's Tara?"

"Tray called me and dropped by Hooligans to pick me up. Tara? Well, Tara drove home. She loves you hun, but you know her and vampires don't mix. It was hard for her to even go tonight because of that. I think the hot sweaty bodies action changed her mind."

I did know. Mickey had done a number on her, and Eric had just reamed her out for letting it happen.

Pam sauntered over with a tray of drinks–beers for the guys and ginger ale for me and Amelia. "Here you go. Enjoy!" As she sat my drink on the table, she sniffed, and showing a little fang, said, "Sookie, my friend, what have you and Eric been up to back in his office all this time?" She sniffed again and said with a little drawl, "Nice bouquet!" She straightened up, and when I blushed about ten shades of red, she started laughing and walked away.

Tray hid a smirk and looked sideways at Sam and then to Amelia and grinned. Amelia said, "Yes! I knew it!" She was looking way too pleased with herself. "I just knew this would get you two back together! Girl, when we get home, I want all the juicy details."

Sam just looked at me with his mouth slightly open in disbelief, made this little growling, grunting noise in the back of his throat, and huffed out a huge breath and then said, "Ah no, Cher. Just when are you..." He grunted, cut himself off, and closed his mouth into a grimace. I suspected that Amelia had kicked him under the table because she was glaring at him and shaking her head a little bit.

Looking around I noticed that Alcide and a few Weres had arrived as well, and I nodded my head in Alcide's direction. He gave me just a little smile and then looked away. There were about eighteen vampires there in all. Bill, Clancy, and Thalia were sitting together at one table. Some I had seen before but didn't know all of their names.

There were some new faces I didn't recognize though. One in particular was a tall Native American with long, thick, jet black hair that went over his shoulders and down the middle of his back. He was sporting a dangling earring in his left ear and was very striking. As I did a double take, he caught me looking at him, and his nose lifted slightly. His nostrils flared a little as he stared at me, and he gave me a lazy, sexy smile. Uh oh...

Eric had set the wrapped arrow on the bar and turned around to face the room. His eyes lit up as he saw the vampire who had just been looking at me, and he exclaimed, "MISU!" He was across the room in a few strides, and the two grabbed each other in a mutual bear hug. I was speechless. I was the only person Eric ever hugged in such a manner.

They broke apart, and the vampire smiled back at Eric and said, "MITIBLO KI."

'_Oh great_,' I thought to myself. '_Yet another language that Eric speaks_.' Sheesh.

Eric turned to the room and said excitedly, "I want you all to meet Gabriel Bucking Horse, an old friend of mine from Montana."

Gabriel nodded and smiled back at Eric. Eric led him over to our table. "Sookie, this is my friend, Gabriel. Gabriel, this is Sookie."

Gabriel gazed down at me as I put on my smile for show and said, forgetting and holding out my hand to him, "Pleased to meet you."

He reached down, took my hand and kissed it, lifting his long lashes and looking up at me with his large, brown bedroom eyes as he did so. "Always nice to meet a special friend of Eric's." To Eric he said, "LILA WIYA WASTE."

"Yes, she is. Hands off, brother."

Gabriel chuckled back at Eric and slapped his shoulder. Two ends of the spectrum type-wise, I noticed that they looked good standing together. Who was I kidding? They were just flat-out hot! Though Eric was just a few inches taller and broader through the shoulders than Gabriel, I had to admit that Gabriel was every bit as solid as Eric.

Considering how pissed and serious Eric had been earlier in the car, I was surprised to see him in such good spirits. I guess having sex twice and seeing his old friend had cheered him up. I needed to stop getting so angry with Eric all the time. For Pete's sake, he had just told me he loved me! I had feelings for him as well. What was wrong with me?

Pam had walked over, and standing on the other side of Eric, looked Gabriel up and down, and smiled. Gabriel looked back and gave her a sexy smile. Pam just raised one eyebrow at him.

Eric got all somber and serious just then and said, addressing the room, "Thank you for coming when I called. I know many of you are wondering why you are here. An incident occurred tonight as my... as Sookie and I drove here from Monroe. We were waylaid by a shifter who was targeting Sookie."

"Is that so. Why didn't you notify me about this personally, Northman?" said my great-grandfather. "Didn't you think I'd want to be here for this?"

All the supes in the room went into alert mode and noticed that Niall was sitting at a table in the back. No one had heard or seen him come into the room. Apparently, he was masking his scent again so that no one would realize he was a fairy except Sam and Eric.

"Nice of you to join us, Niall," said Eric. "How did you hear of our meeting?"

"Claudine called me after Miss Stackhouse's car accident and relayed her suspicions to me. Then when Mr. Dawson came to pick up Miss Broadwater, he filled them in about the meeting, so she kept me informed. Claudine knew you would understand why she did not come herself considering the company. I am here to represent my interests."

Eric nodded and neither he nor Niall looked in my direction. I suspected they didn't want everyone to know that Niall was my great-grandfather or it might put me in even further danger.

"Everyone, this is Niall Brigant. He also has a vested interest in tonight's events."

"Eric, you said it was a shifter? Who is it?"interrupted Sam. "What did he want with Sookie?"

"Good question, shifter. I found this on the ground by my car after the encounter." He walked over and picked up the arrow and carefully unwrapped it, avoiding the tip. As he held it up to the light, we all could see that it was gold.

"Anyone recognize this?" asked Eric.

"Fuck me," said Clancy. "That isn't what I think it is, is it?"

"It is exactly what you think it is." He handed the arrow to Gabriel who twirled it in his hand and checked the workmanship of the crafted feathers. Eric warned, "Stay away from the pointy end, brother, unless you want to fall madly in love with the next person you meet."

Sam said, "You've got to be shittin' me! Eros?"

"Oh, this is bad," said Pam.

Bill stood up and walked over to Gabriel to examine the object in question. He took it from Gabriel, sniffed the end and said, "I smell shifter, magic and something stronger. Eric, explain."

"Yes," said Alcide. "Why would the gods of Norse mythology and those of Roman or Greek mythology be at odds?"

Eric raised his eyebrow at Bill's demand, then looked at Alcide, and continued. "The gods of various lands are all gods but they inhabit different realms. You could liken it to there being different kinds of supes or packs. They exist but separately. Sometimes they run into each other and interfere with each other, and with us. It does appear that the gods are involving themselves again in the affairs of men. That is an arrow directly from the bow of Eros himself. You know how he likes to indulge himself, especially this time of year. This time his arrow hit its mark all too well."

I was so intent on what Eric was saying that I barely stifled a scream as a large, black bird flew over my head and landed on the bar. The breeze of its passing blew the hair about my face, and I had to smooth it back.

It looked bigger than a crow so it must be a raven. The bird in question called out loudly to Eric. Eric walked over and looked carefully at the bird, bowed and said, "I am honored that you came."

The bird bowed slightly, cocked his head, and called out again.

'_What the heck is going on?_' I thought to myself. '_Didn't anyone else think this the least bit odd?_'

Eric continued, "Eros has been at odds with a certain demigod in Asgard for eons. Some time ago this demigod had been pursuing Aphrodite, and when Eros learned of this, he was livid. Before Eros could do something about it, the demigod was in trouble for another matter. For his crimes against Odin and the other Gods in Asgard, the demigod was sentenced to prison for a millennium. His punishment was being chained to a rock in the underworld. Apparently, he's escaped from his prison, and Eros has finally taken his revenge by refocusing the demigod's desire onto someone else. That someone else is Sookie."

"Eric," said Alcide. "Most of us don't know much about Norse mythology except for Thor's hammer. Who is this demigod, this shifter you speak of?"

"I thought you would have guessed by now."

I'd had enough. I stood up and forced out, "Eric, cut the crap. Just spit it out!"

Eric gave me a look and said, "Sookie, the shifter of whom I speak is part giant, part god, a crafty trickster, a troublemaker, and a deceitful bastard from which all shifters and Weres have descended."

The raven cried out when Eric had said 'bastard.'

Eric nodded to the raven and continued, "I speak of none other than Loki. It was foretold that he would escape his chains, which he has apparently done, and bring about Ragnarok, the final battle. It is written that he will lead the forces of evil against Asgard and bring about the end of the world as we know it."

TBC

Note: Gabriel is Anasazi. He lived for some time with the Lakota Sioux. He and Eric exchanged greetings by calling each other little and big brother in the latter language. Gabriel's comment to Eric after meeting Sookie was to tell Eric she was a beautiful woman.

Loki is pronounced Lō'-kee.


	10. Chapter 10

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 10**

The room got surprisingly quiet.

"Okay then. Well... I need some air. Excuse me," I babbled and ran to the back part of the club, exiting through the employee's entrance. Once outside I went over to Eric's car and rested against the rear bumper. I stood there shaking and trying to regain my composure.

"Child," said my great-grandfather. "You shouldn't be out here alone like this. Not now."

I jerked and whirled around. "I just couldn't stay in there for one more second! Was he serious with this end of the world crap? I mean, come on," I said.

He looked me in the eyes and said, "Child, I know that this is difficult for you. Your heritage and your ability make you unique and have thrust you into a part of this world that most others rarely see. What Northman said has been foretold. This could indeed be the time of the final battle. That you have become involved in the scheme of things is... most unfortunate."

"Unfortunate? That isn't what I'd call it. I'd call it a frickin' mess! Why does this keep happening to me?"

"I asked Mr. Northman to give you some time to heal, and he disregarded my wishes."

That did it. I put my hands on my hips, pushed away from Eric's car, and let him have it, "Now you listen to me. Eric had nothing to do with this. I hadn't even seen or talked to him since before Halloween. He honored his promise to you. He did give me that time. The deer... Loki or whoever... saw me earlier tonight, before I hooked up with Eric. Eric had nothing to do with it. He protected me from him with nothing but a sword. He loves me! And... and... despite the fact that we have issues and that sometimes I want to strangle him... I... I love him. I really love him."

I felt Eric's presence behind me before he even got close. His arms came around me and he said, "Sookie, it is not safe for you here. Come back inside."

I knew he had heard what I had said to my great-grandfather. I could feel his love and joy over my impromptu confession, and it was effectively having a calming influence on me. Leaning back against him, I turned to look up at him when he suddenly stiffened.

I looked around and found that most of the supes at the meeting had followed us into the parking lot and were at full alert. Eric maneuvered me behind him and walked us backward alongside of the car. He opened the car door and pulled out his sword, giving it a twirl. "Niall, take her back inside."

As Pam and Bill moved closer to stand by Eric, the raven flew over us and landed nearby on the dumpster, calling loudly. Niall took my arm and starting gently pulling me toward the club door. I pulled away from him and said, "No, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving him."

Gabriel stood up from where he had been examining the front end of Eric's car, turned around to me and said, "You should listen to Eric and your elder, little sister. Go inside where you will be safe."

With that comment, he pulled two rather wicked-looking knives from somewhere on his person with vamp-like speed and went to stand at Eric's side.

Gabriel leaned toward Eric and said, "So, brother. You let him mark your car?"

Eric growled, "Gabriel. This is not the time."

Pam took a whiff, snickered and said, "Oh this is rich. I can smell it from here. The shifter has urinated on your car."

"Be quiet, Pam," said Eric through his clenched teeth.

At that moment, Loki himself walked out from behind the lilac bushes at the edge of the parking lot. He was clothed this time, thank God, but he didn't appear to be the least bit intimidated by all the people surrounding me. His eyes focused directly on me.

"Ah, there you are. I followed you here to get a better look. You are as gorgeous as I remember. I can't wait to fuck you," said Loki, licking his lips.

Eric growled, and I thought he was going to lose it there for a minute, but Gabriel put a hand on his arm. "Wait. I advise caution."

I saw that some of the other vampires and weres were moving themselves into position to surround Loki. Loki looked at Alcide and Sam and said, "So good to see you, children. It has been too long since I have seen the offspring of my son, Fenrir. How do you fare?"

"By no stretch of the imagination will I ever call you father, Loki," said Sam.

Loki looked at his nails and then blew on them. "Pity," he replied, "There is so much we could learn from one another." Loki's voice turned nasty as he said, "Like... obedience. Bow to me, dog."

"Never," replied Sam. "Go fuck yourself."

Sam groaned and fell to his knees in pain as Loki flipped his hand slightly.

I broke free of Niall and ran forward to help Sam, kneeling down beside him. He was writhing on the ground now. I was furious and threw caution to the wind. I stood up and started toward Loki with my fists clenched. "You son-of-a-bitch. Leave him alone!"

Eric yelled, "Sookie, no!" He was beside me in a second, restraining me.

"Let go of me, Eric," I said as I struggled against him.

He leaned into me and hissed in my ear, "Sookie, this is not helping. Let us handle this."

I just kept yelling at Loki. "Let him go, dammit. Right now."

Loki smiled and said, "I will let the dog go when you come to me." To Eric he said, "Release her, north man. She is mine."

"You are mistaken. Sookie is my... she is under my protection."

Angered by what Loki had done to Sam, some of the weres were turning. One launched himself at Loki. Loki's hand caught the wolf by the throat in mid-jump and just held him with one hand. He flicked the wolf aside as if he were flicking the spent butt of a cigarette.

Niall had come forward to stand next to Eric and said, "And under my protection as well. Do you really want to do this, Loki. You know who I am, what I can do, and what I can bring against you. Release the shifter and retreat. Now."

A wind had started to blow, and Niall's face took on an odd glow. He was looking pretty scary. Scarier than usual. Loki started and released Sam. I broke free of Eric and went to Sam, looking back at Loki and wondering what was going to happen next.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 11**

"Yes, I know who you are, Prince." Loki grinned and shifted into a horse. He rose up on his hind legs and went toward Eric. Eric flinched and took a few steps back. The horse stared at Niall, and Niall stared back. The horse snorted and backed over to Eric's car. He lifted his tail and defecated on Eric's car, then looked at Eric, snorted, whinnied, reared up and took off.

Both Eric and Gabriel took off after him. Eric lifted off the ground and landed on Loki's back. Loki began bucking, trying to shake him off. Gabriel had caught up to them, and with a cry of excitement, sunk one of his knives into the animal's hindquarter into the visible wound.

The horse screamed, rose up into the air, and knocked Eric off. He turned into an elk and with his rack down, his eyes glowed green as he rounded and charged at Eric. I screamed, "Eric!"

Eric was distracted momentarily, looking at me, and two front hooves slammed down onto Eric's leg. I heard it crack, and Eric cried out in pain. Gabriel grabbed Loki by the rack and began pulling him sideways. Eric got back up, in great pain, and grabbed the antlers from the other side. Between them, they got Loki down to the ground. I stood up and glanced at my great-grandfather to ask if he could help.

Niall was watching this all with great interest and before I could speak, I saw his pointed ear, visible against his long, white hair, twitch. He glanced back at the lilac bushes, quickly raised his cane, and an energy burst of blue power shot from it in that direction. Faster than a hummingbird's wings, Pam and Bill rushed through the lilacs, and there was some tussling. They came back holding a struggling someone between them.

"Unhand me, you miscreants. How dare you lay your hands on me!"

"Silence!" ordered Pam, carrying a bow slung over her left shoulder. She gave his arm a little twist as she did so and dug in her nails, and the young man she and Bill were gripping by the arms, winced.

He was childishly handsome with a bit of smoke wisping up from his partly blackened white tunic. There was a quiver of arrows strapped to his back. He started when he saw Niall walking toward him and struggled even more against Pam and Bill.

"Release Loki from your spell, Eros," said Niall.

"What?" I said as I stared at them in disbelief. "Eros? This is Eros?"

"I will not," said Eros. "It is a matter of family honor."

I turned back around and saw that Eric and Gabriel were having a time of it struggling with Loki. Thalia and Clancy had joined them. The weres, now in wolf form, and the rest of the vampires were circling around Loki. Loki began rapidly changing shapes and finally settled on an elephant. Losing their grip, the vampires looked up at the elephant in surprise.

Niall got an ugly look on his face and gave Eros' bare sandaled feet a zap with his cane. Eros screamed. "Reverse it now before he gets away," threatened Niall.

Bill leaned over to Eros with his teeth bared, "Is that a pulse in your neck, Eros? Looks juicy, doesn't it Pam?"

"Why, yes, it does. I've never tasted a God before," she said, sniffing him, fangs showing. "Smells delicious."

Eros blanched and said, "Okay, okay. I'll do it."

"Good for you," said Pam, handing him the bow.

Eros took the bow from Pam, drew an arrow, and took aim. Bill hissed, "Don't miss."

In the meantime, Sam, released by Loki had shifted into a large mouse and ran toward Loki.

Eros' arm wasn't very steady as he drew the bow back, took aim, and let the arrow fly. At the sight of the mouse, elephant Loki trumpeted, reared up, and disappeared into thin air. Eric had run toward Loki's underbelly to strike with his sword and was surprised when it hit nothing. Moving toward Loki had put Eric directly in the path of the arrow. I screamed just as Gabriel caught the arrow in his hands before it hit Eric. Eric went down on one knee with his other leg stretched out to the side at an odd angle.

I left Niall's side and ran toward Eric. He was bloody, and it definitely looked like his leg was broken, and there was a hole in his side where one of the antlers had sunk in.

I hugged him to me, and Eric placed one arm around me. I turned around looking for assistance with Eric. Gabriel was closest. "Gabriel, I... help me get him up and inside."

Gabriel was bleeding as well though not as badly as Eric. He twirled his knives, and they disappeared again somewhere under his vest. Gabriel took Eric's other arm and started toward the back door of the club.

"Wait," commanded Eric. Pam and Bill were bringing a protesting Eros over to Eric.

"You missed," said Eric to Eros.

Eros looked unabashedly at Eric and replied, "He moved."

The next thing I knew, Eric took one of his bloody hands and grabbed Eros' face. He leaned down, getting almost nose to nose with him with fangs fully extended, and threatened, "You will find the shifter, and you will make this right, as if it never happened, or I will find you and drain you dry. Do you understand me, Eros?"

Eros looked at Niall's cane and gulped. He nodded toward Eric, "I swear it will be done."

"Good," said Eric and released him. Even with Pam and Bill holding him up, he was visibly shaking. Interesting that a vampire and a fairy could intimidate a god. Well, at least this one.

We got Eric to his office and lowered him onto the couch. Gabriel knelt to assess the damage, then stood up, grabbed Eric's leg, placed a booted foot on Eric's upper thigh to get leverage and pulled quickly, setting the bone. It made a crack as it fell back into place, and Eric groaned. Gabriel stood up and looked at me. "Looks like it was a good time for me to visit. Almost like old times," said Gabriel to Eric. "By the way, Eric, since you are sheriff, I'd like your permission to stay for awhile if you'll have me."

Eric gave a smile and winced as he moved his legs up to stretch out on the couch. "I would be pleased if you stayed in my area."

Gabriel and I looked awkwardly at one another. I moved forward and gave a surprised Gabriel a hug and said, "Thank you, Gabriel. I'll take care of him now. Please, I'd like to be alone with him."

Gabriel nodded. As he exited, he said to Eric, "I will see you later, brother. Later, little sister."

"Gabriel," Eric said softly. Gabriel stopped and looked at Eric. "Thank you."

Gabriel gave a toothy grin and winked at me as he left the room.

When he had left, I sat down on the edge of the sofa and offered my wrist to Eric. "No, I can't."

"Eric, honey, you need it to help you heal. Please," I pleaded.

When he declined again, I moved down, lifted his shirt and licked his chest and down lower to the hole in his side. As he looked at me, I licked the wound, then closed my mouth over it and began to suck lightly.

He moaned. I didn't take very much, just enough to get my lips a little bloody and then moved up to kiss him. He groaned into my mouth as his lips met mine in a searing kiss. I reached down and stroked the outline of his cock between his legs. He moaned again.

I undid his jeans, reached my hand in and released him, my eyes never leaving him. When I stroked the tip, he groaned, tore his lips from mine, took my wrist in his mouth, and bit. It was a little awkward with my wrist at this angle, but as I stroked him, I kissed his stomach and nibbled on his hip bone, moving my hand faster. I cupped his balls and gave them a gentle squeeze and then placed my hand on him again to stroke him. He started moving his hips against my hand as he sucked. I started feeling a little weak. I clamped my hand down on the front end of his erection and squeezed. He raised his hips up and convulsed against my hand as he came. He released my wrist and yelled my name, then licked the wounds as I dropped my head onto his stomach.

His hand moved up to weave through my hair. "Sookie, you are amazing. You showed great courage tonight in confronting Loki. You helped me heal by giving me your blood and gave me pleasure. You defended me to Niall, and finally admitted that you love me."

"Yeah, I was real courageous. That's why I ran out of the bar," I said sarcastically.

Eric gripped my arms and moved me up so that my head was on his shoulder. I moved my legs up and stretched out on top of him. He kissed the top of my head.

"Sookie, you stood up for Sam and to Niall tonight. I am proud of you."

I raised up and kissed him. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Eric. I'm just scared how this is all going to turn out. Loki is... well... he's powerful. How can I... or you for that matter, defend against that?"

"I promise, lover. I will protect you even if it means my life. And starting tomorrow night, I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself."

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 12**

I must have had a fairly shocked look on my face as I rose up to look at Eric. "You want to teach me how to fight?"

"Of course. You doubt my ability to train you properly?" he asked, sounding a little hurt.

"No, it's not that. It's just... I'm hopeless when it comes to certain things," I admitted reluctantly.

"I do not understand. Why do you think you are not up to the task?" he asked, puzzled.

"Okay," I said. "It's like this. I took archery in gym class when I was younger. Eric, I couldn't hit the side of a barn. When I did get the arrow lined up on the string and pulled back, the string would hit the side of my arm when I released it. I had string burn like you wouldn't believe."

His mouth turned up at one side, and I could tell he was trying to stifle a big grin. Before he could reply, I continued. "It's not funny, Eric. I actually hit my instructor in the butt with one of those blunt tip arrows and nearly pierced one of my classmates. I'm hopeless."

"Sookie, I do not believe you are hopeless. I just think you need a proper teacher. Obviously, this instructor of yours was unskilled or you would already be adept with the bow. Or perhaps, you would fare better with a crossbow."

I gave him an exasperated look. "Buffy, the vampire slayer, I'm not."

Eric burst out laughing, and I found myself being bounced up and down a bit as I was lying over his chest. "It's not funny, Eric!"

"Oh yes, it is and yes, you are like her. Have you forgotten Lorena? I remember season one of Buffy that I watched at your home last year. I had not laughed so hard in a long time watching that show. Very entertaining. That reminds me. I intended to buy the rest of the series on DVD."

"I may be blonde but I am so not her. For one, I'm smarter than she is. I don't just walk into dangerous situations like she did, get my friends into trouble, and then just barely save myself like she did."

That just sent him into another round of laughter. What had I said? For Pete's sake! I started to move off of him when he caught my arms said, "Oh no! You are not going storming off just yet. We need to talk."

I struggled against him. "Eric, let me go. I don't want to talk to you right now."

"Odin's beard but you are a stubborn woman!" exclaimed Eric, now holding me effortlessly in his firm grasp. "Cease and desist! Hear me."

I was fuming a little bit, but I stopped moving and looked daggers at him. "What?"

"Do not move."

I could tell he was upset now because his accent was more pronounced, and he was dropping his contractions like Data from _Star Trek: The Next Generation_.

"Stop running from me when things get a little tense between us. I have never met anyone who was so headstrong."

"Now that is just the pot calling the kettle black. You think _I am _headstrong. Horse hockey! You are the one who is stubborn and headstrong, buddy. If you don't get your way, then watch out world. You get in a snit. When I haven't come when you've summoned me, you show up in person and give me a hard time. I am not your personal property."

I felt something interesting coming across our bond. I felt his anger instantly turn into something else. "You missed me. I can tell. That is why you are 'in my face tonight.' You are still angry with me because I left you alone for so long. It comes down to that."

I stopped for a second and thought about that. Okay, so maybe he had a point.

He continued, "I must tell you, lover, that I enjoy when you get all feisty and stand up to me. We have intense feelings for each other that cause these ups and downs between us. Whether we are fighting or fucking, lover, there is chemistry that you cannot deny."

He pulled me against him and suddenly flipped us over so that he was on top. "I find I'd rather be on the ins than outs with you, unless of course you are on top. I am the one you want, and you are the one I want and will always want no matter what you say or do. You know this. Know this also, lover, I am yours, and you... are... mine!"

Apparently, he was healed up pretty good now. Horny too. His lips crashed down on mine. He kissed me for all he was worth, and I was quickly drowning in him. I was trembling from his long, deep, drugging kisses that were making me squirm against the feel of his hard, exposed cock resting between us against my dress.

As his lips moved to my neck, I managed to say, "Eric, there is nothing more I'd rather do than what we are doing now, but there is a bar full of... oh god... do that again."

He had reached down between us where he had slipped his hand into my panties and was stroking me and rocking his cock between us with each stroke of his hand. He bit my breast through the dress, not tearing or breaking skin. Just the feel of his fangs there made me cry out, wanting more.

"Oh god, you are really turning me on, Eric, but... oh... we... can't... do this... now. Loki? Eros? Remember?"

Eric growled, removed his hand, and rested his head on my chest and tried to get himself under control. I stroked his hair and tried to slow my breathing.

"You are right. I've had your blood, and you've had mine tonight so it is only natural that we would be feeling this way especially now that we both know how we feel about one another," said Eric. "This will have to wait."

He reluctantly moved and lifted off me, only wincing a bit as he put weight on his leg, and stood up. The wound in his side had closed over and had turned a pink color against his skin. Most of his lacerations were also healed.

I looked at his groin area, at his exposed member, and couldn't help licking my lips. He groaned as he put his stiff cock back into his pants and carefully did up the zipper.

He looked down at me and then helped me up off the sofa. He smiled when I looked up at him. "You look like you've been having sex, Miss Stackhouse."

He adjusted himself and walked over and opened his closet door so I could look at myself in the mirror that was hanging on the back of it. My lipstick was smeared, my dress was soiled and rumpled, and my hair looked like I'd just been having sex at an orgy.

"Oh lordy!" was all I could say. Eric smiled, and without saying a word, he handed me a brush and comb from his desk drawer and a tissue for my face as he pulled a t-shirt out of the closet, slipped it on, and sat down in his office chair.

As I put myself to rights, I asked, "Have you and Loki met before? He seems to know you. Is he why you don't like shifters and weres?"

He was silent for a moment and finally said, "Yes. We have met before. He_ is_ the reason I don't like or necessarily trust the two-natured. There are only two shifters in my long life that I have trusted."

"What did he do to you?" I asked, looking over at him as I brushed my hair.

"He committed a blood offense against someone I cared about when I was... before I was turned."

"Oh Eric, hun, I'm so sorry," I went over to him and sat down on his lap.

He pulled my head against his shoulder and continued, "I... I was living with my sister's family in what is now Norway at the time. He... he.. it is... I do not think that now is the time to discuss it, Sookie. Another time perhaps," he said as he pulled back away from me a bit.

"Okay, I can understand," I said as I kissed him gently. At least I was trying to. Now my curiosity was piqued. He had shared a little with me, but I wanted to know more. I wasn't about to press him about it though because I knew through the bond that he was feeling raw about it. He'd tell me when he was ready.

"What about the raven, Eric? Why is he here?"

"That is Muninn. He belongs to Odin and keeps him informed of things that happen in this world. He is also here in part to help protect you. I suspect we will receive more help from Odin before the night is over."

"Odin? You mean, the god, Odin?" I asked in shock.

Eric smiled and said, "I am sorry. I forget sometimes that this is all relatively new to you. Odin, is... I am under his protection, and as my bonded, so are you. He was once friend to Loki but Loki angered and offended the gods and was punished. I suspect that they would like to see Loki bound again before he makes further mischief here."

"This is just blowing my mind here, Eric. I'm just a barmaid from Bon Temps. Why would gods take an interest in me? I just want my regular life back."

Eric lifted his hand and placed it against my cheek. "Because you are special, Sookie. More special than you will ever know."

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

**One Night at Hooligans **

**Chapter 13**

"I'm special? Oh come on. I've never met any of these gods. How could I be special to them?" I asked.

"There is... " Eric began.

There was a pounding on the door, and when it opened, Pam poked her head in. "Eric, the pack is getting restless again. Are you healed?"

"I am."

"Sookie, don't distract my maker any further. You two have been closeted in here long enough. This is the second time tonight I have had to fetch you."

"That's enough, Pam. Tell them we are coming."

Pam rolled her eyes but closed the door.

Eric helped me to my feet and rose to walk ahead of me toward the door.

"You know that we don't seem to be able to finish a conversation, right? Are you going to explain everything when we get to your house tonight? Just now I feel that my life is completely out of control and that things are being kept from me. You know very well how I feel about people keeping things from me."

"All will be revealed. We shall speak later," Eric answered as he leaned down to kiss the top of my head.

I followed Eric back out into the bar where it looked like an emergency room with weres and vamps alike tending to various injuries, though obviously the vamps were now healed. All the fresh blood in the room had all the vampires excited which didn't bode well for me. Clancy, who wasn't my favorite person, was looking hungrily my way.

I walked over to sit next to Sam as the raven chose that moment to fly in and land on the back of the empty chair on the other side of me. It startled me but at least I didn't scream this time. I looked the bird directly in the eyes.

"Hello," I said to him.

"Hello," he replied in what almost sounded like my voice. I glanced at Amelia and then back at the bird, who had inched closer to me. When I looked at Amelia again, the raven reached over with his long beak and tugged gently on my hair. I moved my hand half-heartedly toward him and said, "Shoo."

To my surprise, the visible eye pinpointed a bit, he gave a guttural bird laugh, and answered me in a much deeper voice in a language that I had heard Eric speak a few times.

"Neinn," he replied and shook his feathers. When he spoke, the feathers on his head and under his beak puffed out as his throat appeared to bulge out a bit.

"Are you talking back to me?"

"Já," he replied, nodding his head up and down as his white inner eyelid, slid left to right. When the lid moved back to the left, there was a twinkle in the bird's eye, and I saw an intelligence behind that eye that surprised me. Feeling myself being drawn into the bird itself, I started when Sam was the first to speak up.

"Eric, what the fuck, man? What are we going to do about this asshole?"

I shivered, shook myself and drew my attention back to Eric, though I kept tabs on the raven from the corner of my eye.

"I know that all of you have been patient tonight, and considering what just happened, you now know what we are up against."

"I've never seen a two-natured shift so rapidly. How can my pack defend against that?" asked Alcide. There was general agreement from other pack members and vampires alike.

"We can't. We need to trap him to keep him from fulfilling the prophecy. The way to catch Loki is by the same tactic that he himself utilizes. Trickery."

"Did you have anything specific in mind, MISU?" asked Gabriel.

"Actually, I have some prior knowledge. The last time he was bound, I assisted in his capture."

Pam's jaw dropped along with mine. "You've never mentioned any of this to me."

"You? Are you serious? How the hell could you assist in trapping a god?" asked Sam.

I wondered the same thing.

"Before I explain, I would like to ask the two-natured if they would assist in protecting Sookie during the day. Area 5 will take care of her safety at night. She will be staying at my home until this situation is under control."

They nodded as Alcide said, "Sookie is a friend of the pack. Of course we will protect her. At least as much as we can."

Alcide was not pleased that he had to admit that even the weres might not be able to handle Loki. I didn't blame him.

"I would prefer to take her with me," interjected Niall. "She would be safer with her cousins."

"No!" replied Eric firmly. "I prefer she stay with me."

Niall's eyes narrowed at Eric, but Eric went on as if Niall had not spoken at all. "Niall? Amelia? Would you be so kind as to assist with protection spells for her, at my home, the bar, and her home?"

"Of course," they both chimed in unison, though Niall was clearly not happy with that solution, but had chosen not to challenge Eric in front of the other supes.

"Shifter, Sookie will need to stay in Shreveport for now and will be unable to work for you."

"Eric! Who do you..." I started when Sam answered for me.

"No problem. Sookie can have all the time she needs."

"Eric, I didn't agree to staying more than one..."

Eric gave me a stony look and said, "It's done."

"Já!" the raven chimed as he stretched one of his wings along with one of his legs while standing solely on the other foot.

I crossed my arms and huffed, figuring I'd settle this with Eric when we got to his place.

Sam placed his hand on my arm and said, "It's for the best, cher. Don't take it personally."

Sam saying it didn't make it any easier. I didn't like everyone making decisions for me, but after what I had witnessed earlier, I thought it was time that I admitted I couldn't battle a demigod on my own, especially one who was literally smitten with me. I wasn't even good with a bow. Eric had promised to help me with that though. So maybe I didn't really have anything to settle with him.

"That should give us some leeway while I formulate a plan. Perhaps Eros will succeed in removing his spell which would help us with Loki's fixation on Sookie."

"Wouldn't Odin and the others help with this again? Surely they would like to see him returned to his prison," I asked.

Eric looked at me and said, "Perhaps they will." He looked thoughtful, then continued, "After I received my fatal blow on the battlefield, someone came, searching through the fallen and calling my name. She put pressure on my wounds, fighting for my life as it ebbed away from me. When the Valkyries selected me, she stood her ground and insisted that she be taken with me to Valhalla, refusing to leave my side. She bullied them into it and then she bargained with Odin and the others for my life, claiming that I was meant to live on as an immortal but not in Valhalla. She claimed she had seen it in the future."

"Luckily for me, the gods had their own problems. One in particular. Loki's trickery had finally angered them enough that when Loki murdered Odin's son, Baldur, his punishment was to be chained to a rock in the underworld. Unfortunately, just after he received his sentence, he escaped, and as he left the presence of the gods, Loki claimed that he would bring his mother's people against Asgard for daring to try to punish him."

"Who were his mother's people?" asked Tray.

"The giants," replied Eric, with no joy on his face. "I did mention earlier that he was part giant."

"Giants? Are you kidding me, Eric?" I exclaimed before I could stop myself. "The next thing you're going to tell me is that there are dragons too."

Eric kept a steady look on his face, as he just looked at me. Okay, now I wasn't even sure that I even wanted to know that there were giants and dragons around somewhere. You'd think people would have spotted them by now. Like the _National Enquirer_. They always reported all kinds of crazy, unbelievable stories. I felt a little like Andy Bellefleur had the first time he and I talked about what else was out there. Right now I just felt too overwhelmed to even consider it.

Gabriel asked, "You said that Loki had escaped earlier. You were apparently successful in assisting in his original capture?"

"Yes. I assisted. I took great pleasure in seeing him chained like the dog he was and is. Odin agreed that he would send me back to the battlefield if my self-acclaimed champion and I agreed to assist in the capture of Loki. Odin was quite taken with her. We agreed to his terms and were returned."

"I can see that this is personal for you," Pam said. "What happened between you and Loki that caused this enmity? There is something more than just what he did to your car, his imprisonment, and his interest in Sookie."

Eric was silent for a moment, clearly not wanting to respond, so I asked, "What did he do to you Eric?"

Eric clenched his teeth together, his lips narrowing as his nostrils flared, and I could see his cheeks clenching and unclenching. He forced himself to answer through clenched teeth."He committed a grave blood offense against someone... someone that I loved when I was human. When he was captured and restrained, I confronted him. He denied that he had taken part in the offense, but I had witnessed it with my own eyes. That is all I will say."

The room got quiet, and then Indira, who I had not seen earlier, asked, "But you were turned, on the battlefield, when you were sent back?"

Eric came back to himself. "Yes, immediately upon our return, my companion began searching through the field of bodies and calling the name of the vampire who would eventually become my maker. Somehow she knew who he was and that he would be there."

Eric smiled as he recalled the event. "My maker was forced to turn me while she threatened him with silver and a large stake."

"My maker never did let me forget it though," added Eric.

"How could this woman know that your maker would be there? Was she one of the gods or was she psychic?" asked Amelia.

Exactly what I wanted to know. Eric had said that he'd had a psychic once the first night that we met. Now that I was invested in him, I was doubly curious about the answer. She must have cared a lot about him to help him the way she did.

"No, she was not a psychic exactly, but she did have knowledge of the future among her... other talents."

"Who was this woman, Eric?" asked Pam, looking at Eric as if she didn't even know who he was anymore. "You've never mentioned her."

Eric turned his blue eyes away from Pam toward me and said, "She was human. She called herself... Adele."

TBC

**A/N: **_I know it has been ages since I updated this story. Hope it was worth the wait. You are getting a bit of Eric's history with this chapter that will be explored more in "Happily Dead Ever After."_

_Old Norse to English translation:_

_neinn = no_

_já = yes_


	14. Chapter 14

**One Night at Hooligans**

**Chapter 14**

Couldn't Eric and I have had at least one nice night together before everything fell apart? I had been looking forward to seeing his home and getting to snuggle with him again for all my feigned indifference. I had really missed him. I had missed everything about him from when he'd been with me last year though I didn't want to admit it. Except for Jason being missing, the werewolf tussle, the witches and Debbie Pelt, being with Eric then had been a trove of uncomplicated fun when we were alone together. Even more than the great sex, I had missed the companionship that being with him provided.

However, the drive through Shreveport in Pam's borrowed vehicle was a quiet one. I really couldn't look at Eric right now. I felt a lot of things. Shock, anger, betrayal, pride, lust, dismay and others that were too numerous to mention. It was simply... too much.

While Pam was seated in the back seat with her arms crossed, Gabriel was seated beside her. I knew that Eric was staying silent because he knew both Pam and I were very upset. He did occasionally glance in my direction as he left the Shreveport city limits.

What I wanted to do back at the bar, when Amelia and Sam looked at me after Eric's revelation, was run as fast and as far away as possible, because I now knew what was coming and wasn't sure I liked it one bit. Actually, to be honest, I knew I didn't.

If the myth about ostriches with their heads in the sand were actually true, I'd be blissfully unaware because my upside down head would be buried up to my neck. Since it wasn't true, that wasn't really an option since I kind of needed air to survive and there wasn't much of that underground. Actually, ostriches could run about forty-three miles per hour so they didn't really need to hide.

I just wanted to hit something. Couldn't I just do that? No, Gran would be appalled at my manners. Ladies didn't go around hitting the people they were mad at no matter how much they wanted to or how much they deserved it.

Despite the fact that Eric sometimes drove me crazy, the only reason I was still here was because I cared for him. Well, I guess there were two reasons, since this whole protection angle business was looking pretty good right now. I wanted no part of Loki.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gabriel surveying all three of us and shaking his head slowly. What must he think of us? I couldn't get a fix on his thoughts, so he must be a vampire, especially if he was an old friend of Eric's. There was no telling how old was old with Eric's friends. Actually, Gabriel was the only friend other than Pam that Eric had. At least, he'd never mentioned any others, including Gabriel. Then again, I didn't know everything about Eric. That much was certain after tonight's revelation.

Earlier, they had outlined their plan of action for which I had only heard bits and pieces because I had a lot to process, and my ability to process those things had been interrupted.

Sam and Amelia had turned toward me with questions in their eyes, but it was Amelia who asked, "Wasn't that your grandmother's name, Sookie?"

Looking over at Eric, I saw him looking at me with a mixture of sadness and pity. Yet he looked hopeful that I would understand why he hadn't wanted to tell me, and... why was I picking up a wave of fear that I would pull away from him? That was odd.

"Yes," I replied.

Alcide went all in and asked, "So, somehow Sookie's grandmother traveled back to your time, and the two of you... were involved?"

"No," Eric replied simply, keeping his eyes on me, and understanding dawned like a big, overly bright, glaring sun, blinding me with its brilliance.

"No! No! Me? It was me? For crying out loud, how the heck could I possibly time travel back to the tenth century? I might be telepathic, but I don't have any magical powers. And seriously, why would I call myself Adele after my gran?"

Eric's lips curved up a little, as he replied, "It was the tenth century, Sookie. You chose Adele to better assimilate into the culture. The name Sookie would have been difficult to explain, and humans were very superstitious in those times, especially of those who might be associated with or perceived to be supernatural. I heartily agreed with your choice since Adele means 'noble.'"

The large raven at my side sounded off in approval. I glared back at the bird. Noble my ass. "Okay, so say I do get there somehow, when is all this supposed to happen?"

A bit out of his element, Eric looked perturbed that he didn't know more and replied, "I am uncertain, as to the... exact moment. You did not disclose that information to me. I only know that it is... soon."

I turned to Niall, who was sitting apart from the others, and asked, "Did you know about this?"

Niall sighed, sadness in his eyes, and nodded. "Yes."

"Did... do you cause it?"

"I do not, child, though it is within my power to make... adjustments, but I can not... have not found a solution to break what was done."

As Alcide made a little growl of exasperation, Calvin said, "Knowing this is interesting and all, but what is the plan for protecting Sookie from Loki?"

"Why? Are we keeping you up too late?" Pam drolled. "Unless you have something valuable to offer, why don't you just lick your paws, oh or better yet, I think we still have some half and half in the mini fridge behind the bar. Help yourself."

"Pam, enough."

Pam gave Eric a look that spoke volumes as she blew out some air. She glanced at me and winked.

Her wink made me feel somewhat more at ease about this whole situation. Looking at Eric, I found him gazing both intently and apologetically at me as if to say he would explain further... later. Since we'd had a similar conversation earlier, and he knew how I felt about that, I just looked away and said nothing.

Gabriel had watched the entire exchange with interest, and I saw him giving Pam an appreciative glance or two and wondered what Pam thought of Gabriel.

As Eric continued, I heard someone say my name. When I glanced around the table, no one was looking my way. Then I looked back at Eric, and distinctly heard, "Sookie." Startled, I turned and saw that there was someone who wanted my attention all right. The raven.

"Did you just say my name?" I asked quietly, watching as he stood on one foot and fully stretched out one wing. The wing expanded nearly two and one half feet away from his body. Good grief! He must be nearly five feet wide when both wings were stretched out.

The raven nodded and looked me straight in the eye as he settled his wings firmly against his body. "Come," he said, though I wasn't so sure that he said it aloud this time.

"Come? Come where?"

He didn't answer but he leaned toward me and put his foot out. Huh, I guess he wanted me to pick him up. I looked at him and said softly, "You're not going to bite me or peck me with your beak are you? My brother Jason and his friend Hoyt made me watch "The Birds" with them one time, and I really don't want any physical or emotional scars from going through what those people did."

He shook his bird head and just kept holding one foot out to me. I moved my arm closer to his outstretched foot, and he moved his foot back, teasing me. I closed my eyes and just kept holding my arm out to him. I felt one clawed foot and then another step up onto my arm.

As I listened to the weres and supes dividing up my guard duty assignment, shivering slightly from the unaccustomed feel of having a live bird on my arm, the additional weight wasn't nearly as heavy as I had expected.

I'd always had Tina, my cat, until she'd passed on, so I had never had a bird as a pet before because Tina had a fondness for them. I don't mean as friends. When I felt him rub the side of his beak against my skin, I opened my eyes and really looked at him for the first time.

Visually measuring him from head to tail, he appeared to be approximately two feet long. Overall, he was entirely black from his beak to his tail, including his funny-looking feet. Yet in this light, his feathers alternatively had a purple then blue iridescence to them depending on which way he moved. It was quite similar to the effect of male peacock tail feathers. When he fluffed himself up, his throat feathers spiked ominously, making him look rather roguish.

"You are really a beautiful little rascal, aren't you? May I... may I touch you?" I asked, finding myself strangely removed from the conversation ensuing around me and singly focused on the raven.

He looked at me and then politely lowered his head, showing great trust that I would not injure him. Tentatively, I reached out my hand and touched the top of his head and was amazed that the feathers were soft and smooth. I rubbed the back of his head, and when he ruffled up his feathers, I used my index finger to lightly scratch his skin between the feather shafts of his neck. He closed his eyes, gave a little guttural trill and moved his head, showing me where he liked to be scratched.

Again, moving his head, he shook it a bit and then cocked it so that one eye was fixed on both of mine. As I looked more closely, I noticed that the eye was a dark brown and not black as I had thought.

"Muna."

I heard the word, but I wasn't sure it was aloud or in my head.

"Muna? What is that?"

"Muna."

"I'm sorry. I don't understand."

"Muna. Re-mem-ber."

I was confused, and I couldn't stop looking into the depth of his eye. "What am I..."

The lids of my eyes grew heavy, and I felt dizzy. I blinked and found myself at Merlottes setting drinks down on a table. Feeling rather confused at the change of scenery, for a second I thought I'd spill the mug I was holding as I slowly looked around.

"What the Sam Hill..."

"Did you call me, Sookie?" said Sam right behind my left shoulder.

I gasped and dropped my empty tray.

As Sam bent down to pick it up and handed it to me, I felt a sense of déjà vu.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you. Just relax. You've been doing fine tonight. In fact, I was just coming over to tell you that you got the job."

"Oh, that's great," I replied nervously and put on my big smile. "Thank you."

"Say, why don't you take a break? You deserve one," he suggested as he leaned closer. I could have sworn he sniffed me, and for some reason, I suddenly felt like I had a ham hock dangling around my neck.

Arlene walked over and demanded, "Sam, where's my check? I've got Coby and Lisa in the car. I don't have time to be looking all over creation for it." She turned her attention to me, "Who the hell are you?"

Sam looked apologetic and said, "Arlene, this is our new waitress. Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie, this is Arlene Fowler. I've got your check over here behind the bar, Arlene. I'll go get it."

"Alright then. Thanks, Sam." She looked at me and said, "Stackhouse, huh? You any relation to Adele?"

"Yes, she's my Gran."

"Really? She's good people. You ever do any babysitting, Sookie? My man just walked out on me, and I've got two really small children to take care of, and with work and all, it's a little too much. Be nice if I had someone that could watch them that I could count on."

"Uh... sure. I might be able to do that now and again."

"Here's your check, Arlene," said Sam, walking up to us and holding it out to her. She grabbed it from him and said hurriedly, "I really gotta go. My kids."

We watched her leave, and Sam said, "Sorry about that. Arlene can be a bit..."

"Abrupt. Self-involved," I offered.

Sam grinned. "Yup. That pretty much sums it up. Go on, and take your break."

I decided to go out and get some fresh air, so I grabbed a full garbage bag and hauled it out the back door and walked to the dumpster. Two large black birds flew away as I approached, and after heaving the heavy bag up and over the top, I heard a moan on the other side of the receptacle.

"Oh my gosh," I exclaimed as I bent to help the withered old man who lay there. His hair was long, white and greasy, and his beard was a mixture of white, grey and black, almost as long as his mass of hair. Since Bon Temps was not a hot spot for the homeless, I was shocked at his tattered and filthy clothes. Squatting down next to him, the smell of unwashed body, and a whole lot of other smells that I didn't even want to think about, made my stomach turn.

"I'll go get some help."

I went and got Sam and between us we toted him inside and laid him down on the floor in Sam's office. Sam was a lot stronger than he looked. While Sam called the sheriff's office and went outside to wait for them, I ran a bar towel under some water and filled a glass with the same, and returned to sit down beside the man. As I began to gently bath his face, he opened his eyes and looked up at me.

"Thirsty," he croaked.

I put my arm under his neck and helped him raise up while I held the glass to his parched, cracked lips. He drank greedily, and I did my best to breath through my mouth instead of my nose during the process. When he had drained the glass, I eased him back to the floor and started cleaning up his face with the towel again.

"What happened to you?" I asked as he watched me.

"I've had a long journey it seems. My life..." he broke off as he coughed.

"Shush now. Help is on the way. You're gonna be all right. Just relax."

"I know how I smell, young woman. How I must look. You have taken me in even when it might have been against your better judgment. You are exceedingly hospitable to one such as I."

"Well, thanks, but most people would have done the same."

"No. They would not. Many would have just walked on by and pretended I was not even there."

"Well, my gran didn't raise me that way."

"She must be a remarkable woman to have raised someone like you."

"Well, thanks. She is."

His face turned serious, "There are choices that you will need to make in your life that will be difficult."

"Don't I know it."

"No, I do not say this lightly. You are stubborn. You are headstrong, and sometimes, you act before you think matters over."

"Excuse me? How would you know..."

"You are also very brave, and you fight for what you believe in. When you give your heart, you don't give it lightly. Be patient with him. He was right to make his request. Despite my misgivings, you are... worthy."

Sam and Bud Dearborne came into the room, and I stood up, saying, "Oh good, I'm glad you are here. He's not making a whole lot of sense."

They both looked at me like I was out of my mind.

"Where did he go?" asked Sam.

"What do you mean? He's right..." I started then stopped when I saw that he was gone. "Where did he go? I didn't take my eyes off him while you were gone. I swear." I pushed past both of them and went out the back door, looking both ways. There was no sign of him.

One of the black birds that I'd seen earlier flew straight at me, and I was back at Fangtasia with a bird on my arm.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed to everyone's surprise. When I saw them all looking at me, I returned the bird to the back of the chair beside me and said, "Eric, take me home. Now!"


End file.
